William Merrick Gramby, 74, died March 31st, at home in Cambridge.
A native of Morristown, New Jersey, Bill graduated from Morristown High School in 1970. As a young man he variously worked in hospitals, sang in a band, and cable-cast 1976's Operation Sail from New York Harbor. In 1978, he moved to the Boston area, where he soon settled in Cambridge. His career in the audio business led him to a sales management position at Cambridge Soundworks, from which he retired on a cardiac disability at the age of 50.
Bill loved movies, music, and books. His avocations included acting, singing, and creative writing. His medical conditions were complex, made worse by a stroke in 2009, but he was notable for the depth and durability of his friendships. He was warm, funny, and deeply kind.
Bill's mother, Marjorie Solomon, and his sisters, Edna Riley and Dianne Gramby, predeceased him. He is survived by his brothers, Frederick Gramby and Kevin Solomon; his sisters, Sheila Richardson and Sharon Barber; and his beloved partner of forty-four years, Carolyn Roosevelt.
A service in Bill's memory will take place Sunday, May 3rd, at 1:30, at Emmanuel Church, 15 Newbury Street, in Boston's Back Bay.