Obituary for William C. "Bill" Aldrich Jr.
William “Bill” C. Aldrich, Jr., of Warrington, PA, passed away on Sunday, November 20, 2022. He was 80.
Married for 57 years, Bill was the loving husband of Joyce Marie Aldrich (nee McConnell), whom he met at a dance during high school.
Born on June 9, 1942 and raised in Hurffville, NJ, Bill was the son of the late Rose and William Clarke Aldrich, Sr. After graduating from high school, Bill worked at Haines Dairy, until he had enough money saved to attend Glassboro State College, now Rowan University, where he attained his Bachelor’s Degree. He taught high school math for a brief period, until securing a position as computer programmer with Burroughs (later Unisys), where he wrote code for the UNIVAC lines of mainframe computers. After retiring from a 30+ year career, Bill worked at Home Depot, initially as a sales associate in the millwork department (where he applied an extensive, self-taught knowledge of all things doors and windows) and then later as greeter, where he truly enjoyed directing, assisting, and chatting with customers as they entered the store.
Bill was a craftsman, outdoorsman, horse enthusiast, and avid cyclist. He built bookcases, garden sheds, kitchen cabinets, and custom frames. The beautiful lines of Bill’s hand-crafted stained glass lamps and panels reflected both his love of nature and admiration of Frank Lloyd Wright. He spent years envisioning, planning, and later constructing, a two-story cabin in the woods, affectionately known as “The Property,” which gave him tremendous joy and purpose. He had a lifelong passion for horses, dating back to his early childhood and culminating in a collection of horse figures, photos, books, and dreams of owning a Pinto or Appaloosa. But, his greatest happiness in life came from spending time with his family and friends – all of whom held him in the highest regard and loved him.
In addition to his wife, Joyce, Bill will be deeply missed by his children, Michelle Liebesman (Jeff), Carol Taylor (Rob), Susan Aldrich, and Steven Aldrich (Carla); eight grandchildren, Brian, Sam, Abby, Lauren, Luke, Zach, Emma, and Holly; his sister, Patricia MacNicoll (Don); and countless friends and relatives. He was preceded in death by his parents and youngest daughter, Elizabeth.
A Prayer Service celebrating Bill’s life will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, December 2, 2022 at Saint Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church, 856 Euclid Avenue, Warrington, PA 18976. Bill’s family will receive friends and relatives for visitation, beginning at 10:00 AM. A private interment will be held at a later date at the Hillcrest Memorial Park in Hurffville, NJ.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Bill’s memory may be made in support of the following organizations: Doylestown Health Foundation, 595 West State Street, Doylestown, PA 18901 or online at DoylestownHealthFoundation.org/tribute; or MidAtlantic Horse Rescue, P.O. Box 407, Chesapeake City, MD 21915.
Married for 57 years, Bill was the loving husband of Joyce Marie Aldrich (nee McConnell), whom he met at a dance during high school.
Born on June 9, 1942 and raised in Hurffville, NJ, Bill was the son of the late Rose and William Clarke Aldrich, Sr. After graduating from high school, Bill worked at Haines Dairy, until he had enough money saved to attend Glassboro State College, now Rowan University, where he attained his Bachelor’s Degree. He taught high school math for a brief period, until securing a position as computer programmer with Burroughs (later Unisys), where he wrote code for the UNIVAC lines of mainframe computers. After retiring from a 30+ year career, Bill worked at Home Depot, initially as a sales associate in the millwork department (where he applied an extensive, self-taught knowledge of all things doors and windows) and then later as greeter, where he truly enjoyed directing, assisting, and chatting with customers as they entered the store.
Bill was a craftsman, outdoorsman, horse enthusiast, and avid cyclist. He built bookcases, garden sheds, kitchen cabinets, and custom frames. The beautiful lines of Bill’s hand-crafted stained glass lamps and panels reflected both his love of nature and admiration of Frank Lloyd Wright. He spent years envisioning, planning, and later constructing, a two-story cabin in the woods, affectionately known as “The Property,” which gave him tremendous joy and purpose. He had a lifelong passion for horses, dating back to his early childhood and culminating in a collection of horse figures, photos, books, and dreams of owning a Pinto or Appaloosa. But, his greatest happiness in life came from spending time with his family and friends – all of whom held him in the highest regard and loved him.
In addition to his wife, Joyce, Bill will be deeply missed by his children, Michelle Liebesman (Jeff), Carol Taylor (Rob), Susan Aldrich, and Steven Aldrich (Carla); eight grandchildren, Brian, Sam, Abby, Lauren, Luke, Zach, Emma, and Holly; his sister, Patricia MacNicoll (Don); and countless friends and relatives. He was preceded in death by his parents and youngest daughter, Elizabeth.
A Prayer Service celebrating Bill’s life will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, December 2, 2022 at Saint Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church, 856 Euclid Avenue, Warrington, PA 18976. Bill’s family will receive friends and relatives for visitation, beginning at 10:00 AM. A private interment will be held at a later date at the Hillcrest Memorial Park in Hurffville, NJ.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Bill’s memory may be made in support of the following organizations: Doylestown Health Foundation, 595 West State Street, Doylestown, PA 18901 or online at DoylestownHealthFoundation.org/tribute; or MidAtlantic Horse Rescue, P.O. Box 407, Chesapeake City, MD 21915.