William H. Seward, Jr., 84, of New Haven, loving husband of Cathy (Withington) Seward, whom he married July 7, died Sept. 21 at home with the comfort of his family. William was born July 9, 1929 to the late William and Gladys (Burns) Seward.

Known as “Bill” to his friends, he grew up and resided in the “Fair Haven” section of New Haven. He graduated from Commercial High School, where he was class president of the last class to graduate from the school in 1949. Bill excelled in football, hockey and swimming, and he later played for the New Haven Crowhills, who won the citywide championship. After graduating high school, Bill enlisted in the United States Navy, where he proudly served his country aboard the USS Duxbury Bay AVP-38 from 1949 to 1953, which supported aircraft operations with deployments to the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea.

Following an honorable discharge from Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island, he began a 37 year career with the United Illuminating Company, retiring in 1991. He then continued to work for Special Events Screen Printing, owned and operated by his son Scott, for the past 15 years. 

Bill led a busy and community-based life. He served as a park commissioner for the City of New Haven under the late Mayor Bart Guida, and he was a seasonal employee of the New Haven Parks and Recreation Department, where he worked managing Edgewood and Blake Field skating rinks. He also served on the board of directors of the Fair Haven Neighborhood Corporation, was active with Dom Aitro Little League, where he coached and served as an umpire, and was a member of the Greater New Haven Pee Wee Hockey Fathers Association. He was co-founder of the Bart Guida New Haven Park and Rec Youth Hockey League, with which he was actively involved for 35 years teaching inner city kids how to skate and play ice hockey.

Bill was a big fan of the Boston Red Sox, traveling to follow the annual progress, and Chicago Black Hawks hockey team. Bill and Cathy frequently traveled to casinos, and followed Margaret on jaunts across the country. His sense of humor will also be missed.

The family would like to thank the staff of Yale-New Haven Hospital and the Smilow Cancer Center for their kind and professional care over the past several months.

In addition to his wife Cathy, he is survived by his sister Gladys and her husband Edward Welchans; his brother James Seward and his wife Mary; his three sons, William Seward III, Fire Chief with the Town of North Branford, and his wife Debra, Edward Seward and his wife Toni Cietanno, and Scott Seward and his wife Donna; his grandchildren William IV with the West Stafford Fire Department, and his wife Cristy, Andrew and his wife Angela, Sarah, Jeffrey, and Jonathan Seward and Elisa and her husband James Riccitelli; his great-grandchildren William V, Madelynn and Abigail Seward; and many nieces and nephews. Bill also leaves John and his wife Barbara, Tom (late wife Valerie), Margaret, Rita and her husband Peter, Doris and Loretta Withington as survivors. Bill was predeceased by his first wife, Joan A. (Swanson) Seward; and his sisters Mary Burwell (Charles) and Nora (Walter) Saddig.

A Mass of Christian burial was celebrated Sept. 24 at St. Francis Church, New Haven, followed by burial with military honors in All Saints Cemetery, North Haven. The Clancy Funeral Home, East Haven, was in charge of arrangements.