William “Bill” Magrone, 82, of Westhampton, passed away on Tuesday, September 7. Bill was born in Ware on November 8, 1938. He was the son of Dominic Magrone and Doris (Forsman) Magrone. He grew up on Margaret Street in Monson, amongst many aunts and uncles and cousins. He is a graduate of Monson High School and attended Monson Academy and the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. During and following his school years he worked on the Central Vermont Railroad until he got a letter from Uncle Sam and chose to serve in the US Navy from 1961 to 1965. He spoke often of how he valued that experience. Bill married Carol Anne Hyde in 1965 and they lived in East Longmeadow for 33 years where they raised their daughters and enjoyed many camping excursions to Cape Cod and Granville State Forest with a beloved group of camping friends and their children. In 2000, Bill and Carol began their sunset years in the town of Westhampton enjoying a rural atmosphere that was reminiscent of camping every day.
Bill worked in several local businesses as a data processing professional and later as a Personnel Manager. He became co-owner and Treasurer of Graphic Printing Company in West Springfield in 1992. Bill believed strongly in civic and community involvement, including coaching his daughters soccer teams and supporting their Girl Scout activities, fundraising for Easter Seals of Western Mass and avidly following the growth and enthusiasm of the UMASS Minuteman Marching Band. Bill enjoyed many happy times hunting, mostly contemplating life and nature, and golfing with his cousins and other valued friends. In fact when he accomplished his “hole-in-one” , three of his cousins were the witnesses, so they called over a nearby objective golfer to confirm the validity of the event. During Bill’s retirement years he continued his civic commitment by serving on the Westhampton Board of Health, on the Westhampton Council on Aging and by participating in forming a local neighborhood association for supporting his neighbors. Bill is being remembered by his Westhampton friends as having “contributed so much humor and goodness to Westhampton life”.
Bill is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Carol, his daughter, Jennifer Magrone of Malden, Jennifer’s husband, Thomas Turck, their children – Bill’s grandchildren, Matilda and Liam, and his daughter Pamela Magrone of Thorndike. He also leaves his sister, Patricia Keegan of Monson and her family, his sister-in-law Alison Baker of Ellijay, GA and her family and the many members of the extended Magrone family with whom he was very close.
The Magrone Family would like to extend a special thank you to all the excellent personnel of the Critical Care Unit at Cooley Dickinson Hospital who cared for Bill and for us.
Calling hours for Bill will be held on September 25, 12-2PM with a Memorial Service beginning at 1PM at Boucher - O’Brien Funeral Home, 7 Pleasant St, Easthampton. Burial will be at the convenience of the family.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the UMASS Minute Man Marching Band or to Excellence in Mental Health Care (https://openexcellence.org).
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