William J. Strong

It is with heavy hearts that we share news of the passing of William John (Bill) Strong on Saturday November 6, 2021. Bill leaves his wife of 62 years Barbara, 4 children Kathy (& Bill) DiBella, Don Strong (& Rhonda Morin), Tricia (& Glen) Shepherd, Betty Strong (& Jim Rumreich), 7 grandchildren Elise (& Chris) Tucci, Lauren (& Joe) Horne, Samantha Shepherd, Jemina Shepherd, Maxwell Shepherd, Frank Rumreich, & Bonnie Rumreich, and 4 great-grandchildren, Joseph, Aria, Keira, and Juliet. Orabel Elizabeth and James Louis Strong welcomed their second son William John Strong on February 15, 1926. William took an early interest in learning how mechanical things worked & enjoyed spending time with his Grandpa Dahlstedt in his jewelry shop tinkering with the watches. He joined the Boy Scouts where he developed a love of the outdoors which stayed with him his entire life. After graduating from North Tonawanda High School in NY, Bill joined the Navy where he travelled to Japan during the end of WWII. He worked as a radio technician on board the ship. On leave he photographed Hiroshima devastation, leaving an impactful legacy of that time. After graduating with a Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University. Bill was an adjunct faculty at Clarkson University’s engineering school. It is there he met his wife Barbara. After spending time at General Electric and Bell Labs, Bill & Barb packed up their 3 children and moved to Hudson, NH where he worked for Sanders (aka Lockheed or BAE) for over 30 years. The youngest daughter (baby #4) is a New Hampshire native. The NH White Mountains provided ample opportunities for Bill to share his love of the outdoors (hiking, fishing, skiing) with his 4 children, nephews, nieces, and grandchildren. He also never missed his annual hunting/fishing trip with his college buddies in New York’s Adirondack Mountains. After retiring from Lockheed, Bill & Barb moved north to Greenville, Maine. This is where Bill lived his ideal retirement for 20 years; fishing, gardening, and hiking the ponds & trails around Moosehead Lake. The family will host a Celebration of Life in Spring/Summer of 2022. Details will be sent to friends and family. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Nature Conservancy.