WORCESTER – William J. Bombard, 83, of Worcester, passed away peacefully in the presence of family on Tuesday, December 16, 2014, at the Rose Monahan Hospice Home after a quiet and brave battle with cancer.
Bill now joins his wife and true love, Barbara, who died in 2005. He is survived by four children: Pamela Boyle and her husband Brian, of Fort Myers, Florida; Thomas Bombard and his wife Leonilda, of Northampton; Michael Bombard and his wife Diane, of Holden; and Timothy Bombard and his wife Jacqueline, of Sturbridge. He is also remembered with love by his ten grandchildren and a brand new great-grandson, as well as countless friends, neighbors, and extended family members.
Bill was a life-long resident of Worcester. He and Barbara graduated in 1949 from South High School, where she was named “most artistic” and he was named “most petite.” What Bill lacked in height he made up for with tenacity on the football field, track, and basketball court (playing with the Whiz Kids) throughout high school. Bill and Barbara wed in 1952, and they maintained strong friendships with their South High classmates for decades. Bill studied at Worcester State College, where he began a career in education that would span nearly forty years in the city’s public schools. Bill touched many lives as a teacher and principal, and he considered service as an educator was one of his life’s greatest privileges. He held a deep faith in the promise of future generations, and his love for children was evident in his activities as a father, grandfather, and coach.
After he retired in 1992, Bill and Barbara spent the next several years spoiling their grandchildren and traveling with family and friends. Bill was also in the Knights of Columbus, he served on the Hope Cemetery Commission, he was active in local politics, and he was a member of Christ the King Church. Bill loved fishing and riding around town with his beloved late brother, Bob. He also enjoyed gardening, playing cards, golfing, feeding birds, listening to children play in his neighborhood, going out for breakfast or lunch, and spending quiet time at the cemetery with his wife. Without doubt, Bill was a people person, and in his final days he spoke often about how blessed he felt to have known so many wonderful people over the course of his life.
Relatives and friends are invited to visit with Bill’s family from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday, December 19, at the Callahan Fay and Caswell Funeral Home, 61 Myrtle Street, Worcester. His funeral will be Saturday, December 20, with a Mass at 10 a.m. at Christ the King Church, 1052 Pleasant Street, Worcester.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Rose Monahan Hospice Home, 10 Judith Street, Worcester, 01602.