William Bodnar 85, of Theresa St. died Tuesday, November 25, 2008 in Miriam Hospital. He was the husband of Georgette (Caron) Bodnar. Mr. Bodnar was born in Woonsocket, a son of the late Michael and Anna (Czarny) Bodnar. He was a WWII Army Air Corps Veteran and had worked for the U.S. Rubber Co. until the Woonsocket plant closed in 1972. He had also been employed as a national supervisor for Atlantic Mills Stores and as a baker in several area bakeries and doughnut shops. Mr. Bodnar was a member of the New England Outdoor Writers Association and had been writing the weekly “Outdoor Scene” column for the Woonsocket Call since June 1980. He was a lifetime member of the Cercle Laurier, the Woonsocket Sportsmen’s Club and the Wallum Lake Rod & Gun Club. He had sponsored a number of professional bass fishing tournaments and collected several awards from the Northern RI Bass Anglers and the RI Cast Masters. Mr. Bodnar was also an advocate for the preservation and restoration of fish and wildlife habitat.
Besides his wife of 66 years, he leaves two sons, Michael Bodnar of Woonsocket and William W. Bodnar of Chico CA; two daughters, Anna Zaino of E. Greenwich and Linda Gerstmeyer of Scituate; a brother, Walter Bodnar of Cumberland and a sister, Eugenia Sawyer of Woonsocket; six grandchildren, two step-grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. He was also the brother of the late Beatrice Macchi and Stella Carabina.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Thursday at 10:30 AM in St. Joseph’s Church, Mendon Rd., Woonsocket. Burial will be held in Resurrection Cemetery in Cumberland. In lieu of flowers, it would be appreciated if donations in his memory be made to Hope for Cats Sanctuary, 234 Pulaski Blvd., Bellingham, MA 02019 or Blackstone River Watershed Council, P.O. Box 8068, Cumberland, R.I. 02864.