WILLIAM A. PURTELL JR. ’43
WILLIAM A. PURTELL JR., beloved husband of Mary Jane (Alexander) Purtell, passed on to eternal life after a brief illness April 6, 2004. He was born in Hartford on March 21, 1922, to the late Senator William A. Purtell and Katherine (Cassidy). A graduate of William H. Hall School and Wesleyan University, he went on to serve in the 103rd lnfantry Division, Company G, based at Camp Houze in Texas. His World War II experience included serving in Germany and Austria, and he was most proud to be a veteran.
An accomplished model airplane builder, Bill began his hobby while in his teens and went on to win numerous competitions, beginning in 1939 with The Senior Hartford Open. He enjoyed the challenge of creating model flying machines of his own designs but more important the camaraderie of the fellow model airplane builders. He and his family traveled extensively over the years while he competed and placed in numerous national competitions.
Bill owned and operated ESICO (Electric Soldering Iron Company) in Deep River from 1962, until his retirement in 1987. He was a hands-on boss who always treated his employees fairly and was concerned for their well being and success. During his ESICO years, he remained active in the Middlesex County Manufacturers Association, serving as president for a period of time.
After living in Otter Cove in Old Saybrook for 40 years, he and Jane relocated to Laurel Gardens in Glastonbury in 2003, where he enjoyed many wonderful times with his fellow residents– “a really nice group of people,” he would often say. Bill’s family is very grateful to the wonderful staff at Laurel Gardens for all of their efforts on his behalf.
Bill is survived by “his two girls” as he always called them, his beloved wife, Jane; his cherished daughter, Robin Purtell Bell and his son-in-law, Walter Bell, for whom he had the deepest love and respect and whom he fondly called “The Big Guy.” In addition, he leaves several brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Robert Alexander of Hartford, Bruce and Chris Alexander of New Haven, and Douglas and Mary Kay Alexander of West Hartford, all of whom were a constant source of love and support to him and his family; a sister, Margaret Poehnert of Old Saybrook; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and his granddog, Tinkerbell, whom he cared for over the years.
Funeral service and burial were private. Jane, Robin and Walter would especially like to thank Dr. Mark Daily of the Helen and Harry Gray Canter Center for his perseverance, encouragement and support as Bill fought the battle of his life against non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma; Dr. Richard Graniero for his on-going assistance; Kathleen McGuire of the Glastonbury Visiting Nurses who brightened his day and provided much needed support, and Kathie Ransford and all her associates of Glastonbury Health Care for the meticulous care and concern during his final weeks.
Memorial donations in Bill’s honor may be made to the Glastonbury Visiting Nurses, 969 Hebron Avenue, Glastonbury, CT 06033 or The American Cancer Society. The Sheehan-Hilborn-Breen Funeral Home, 1084 New Britain Ave., West Hartford, is assisting the Purtell family with arrangements.