William John MacDonald

William John MacDonald, son of the late Peter MacDonald and Matilda (Tillie) Anderson MacDonald, both formerly of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia died on December 15, 2021 at Portland Care and Rehab in Portland, CT.  Bill was born in Jamaica Plain near Boston, Mass.   After WWII, the family moved to Mayberry Village of East Hartford, CT where Bill (nicknamed “Beans”) graduated from East Hartford High School in 1949.  He then enlisted in the Army and served in the Korean War where he was promoted to Sargent.  Upon discharge, Bill was hired by Hamilton Standard Credit Union in Windsor Locks where, on his first day of work, met the love of his life, Mary Agnes Corsair of East Hartford. Bill and Mary married in 1954 and set up housekeeping in East Hartford, moving to East Hampton in 1966.  Bill and Mary raised their 3 children at “the farm” on old Route 66.  Bill was a salesman for South Windsor Construction, then Sales Manager for Hartford Cement Company, and in 1973, began work for the Banking Department of the State of CT.  He retired as Deputy Chief Bank Examiner in 1993.  He was very active in the East Hampton Democratic Town Committee, acted as Police Commissioner and served on the Building and Zoning Committee for many years, he worked the polls and became a Republican later in life.  He was a 50-year member of the Knights of Columbus and a parishioner and former Deacon of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in East Hampton.  Bill and Mary travelled together across our beautiful country, visiting relatives along the way in Nova Scotia and across the U.S.  Bill was known as a cut-up, class clown, tough opponent, stubborn Scot and opinionated and blunt speaker.  He was meticulous in his work.  He could tell a joke, he had a lovely singing voice, adored his pets and he adored his wife and children.                Bill is preceded in death by his wife Mary, his brother Peter C. MacDonald, and is survived by a daughter Catherine (Rhon) Keinigs of Radford, VA; David (Joann) MacDonald of East Hampton, CT and Douglas (Karen) MacDonald of East Hampton, CT, plus 5 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.                    The family would like to extend special thanks to Karen Turney for her loving care of Mary and Bill during their lengthy illnesses, to Diane Anelli, who was always available to fix Mom’s hair and give Dad his haircuts and was always a super friend, and to Patty Kissinger who walked Peanut the dog, and who brought goodies for Bill to enjoy.  We’d like to thank Bonnie Oliveri and the many friends and neighbors of Laurel Ridge, who were unfailingly kind to Bill and Mary. Funeral services will be held at a later date to be announced. 

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