Obituary: William “Bill” Cronan, 87, of Wallingford

From Wallingford Funeral Home

William “Bill” Cronan, 87, loving husband of the late Myrna (Bodge) Cronan, passed away at home on July 7, 2018, surrounded by his loving family.

Bill was the son of Thomas L. Cronan and Mary (Heaphy) Cronan. He was born in New Haven, CT on May 2, 1931 and has been a longtime resident of Yalesville, CT and more recently Hutchinson Island, Jensen Beach, FL.

Bill graduated from Hamden High School, class of 1950, and attended Quinnipiac College. He was a USAF Veteran of the Korean War, having served for four years at many bases within the U.S. and overseas. He was active in his parish, Our Lady of Fatima in Yalesville, CT. During his years there he became president of the Men’s Club and was Co-Chairman of the very successful fundraiser at the Annual Carnival for three years and a member of the Church Advisory Council.

Bill was a past member of the New Haven CT Lodge 25, BPO Elks and Boy Scouts of America (Pack I), where he was the committee Chairman. He was involved with hockey from an early age, having played for his high school; he coached in the Wallingford Hawks Youth Hockey League, serving on the board 6 years. He later was assistant coach at Sheehan High School for 10 years and was also a certified referee in the Amateur Hockey Association of the U.S. for many years.

Bill was a member of the Yalesville Volunteer Fire Department and was an EMT assigned to the Emergency vehicle.

In his spare time Bill worked at SNETCO (Southern New England Telephone Company) for 39 years. He started in cable construction and retired as the Operations Manager in the Southern Division of Sonacor Systems. As Operations Manager, Bill managed in all seven districts at one time or another.

From 1980 - 1981 he worked in Washington DC and was a witness for AT&T and appeared before Judge Green, who was the preceding judge in the case; Department of Justice Antitrust suit against AT&T. Bill noted it was a once in a lifetime experience for an ordinary citizen to actually see and be part of the judicial side of the government in action.

After retiring Bill and Myrna spent 22 years deep water fishing out of the St Lucie inlet on her boat, Ole Myrn II. Bill was predeceased by his wife, Myrna, who he was with for 64 years and who he loved and adored beyond words. Their devotion, humor and genuine love for each other was an example to their children and to all who really knew them. Bill often said “He was the luckiest person in the world when the Lord chose him to marry the most beautiful woman in the world.”

Bill is survived by his children Lynn Cronan and Kurt Cote of Wallingford, CT, Cathleen Gavin and her husband Peter of Bristol, CT, William Cronan Jr. and Geralyn Tagatac of Branford, CT, and Stephen T. Cronan and Shari Joyce Kargle of Yalesville; his grandchildren Erik Cronan Brandl and Gene Migliaro of NYC and Washington CT, Holly Brandl-Laber and Nate Laber of Richmond, VT, Michael Gavin of Bristol, CT, twins Jillian and Brendan Gavin of Bristol, CT, Kelly Douglas and Mark Douglas of Seymour, CT and Casey Cronan of NYC; his great-grandchildren Peter and Aurora Gavin of Bristol, CT, Finn Laber and Oliver Laber of Richmond, VT, his brother, Thomas Cronan and wife Louise of Barrington, IL, sister Maureen Redman and the late Carl Redman of North Haven, CT, Patricia Lucia and Walter Lucia of Milford, CT, and brother in law William C Bodge of Durham, CT as well as many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brother Robert Cronan, Chief Master Sergeant, USAF (retired) and his granddaughter Megan C. Gavin.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated directly at Our Lady of Fatima Church on Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. Entombment will be in the Sacred Heart Mausoleum in Meriden. In lieu of flowers, and in tribute to Myrna and Bill’s beloved Tigerlily, gifts in his memory may be made to the Wallingford Animal Shelter, 5 Pent Rd., Wallingford, CT.

For more information and to leave online condolences, visit Wallingford Funeral Home here.