William H. Webster, 94

LACONIA — William Henry Webster “Bill”, 94, a longtime resident of Sanbornton, died peacefully surrounded by his loving family on Monday, May 30, 2022, after a brief illness. It was befitting that Bill passed on Memorial Day as he served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army in Japan at the end of WWII and during the Korean War.

Bill was born and raised in Orleans, Vermont. His parents were Helen Cass Webster and Dr. Karl S. Webster. Bill was an accomplished athlete and, foreshadowing his people skills, was voted most popular in his high school graduating class. He married Sylvia Bickford “Bickie” from Nashua, in 1952, with whom he spent 67 happy years until Bickie’s passing in 2019.

Bill graduated with a degree in business from the University of Vermont in 1954 and immediately started working with General Electric, moving to Marblehead, MA, and then was transferred to Virginia. In the early 1960s GE transferred Bill back to New England where he and Bickie raised their three children on the north shore of Boston. He made two more career moves in the next decade, first as an executive with Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Boston and then in the early 1970s he shed the big city life, bought a historic house on 30 acres of land in bucolic Sanbornton, and moved the family to the country life that he so loved. He worked as business director for the Department of Public Health for the State of New Hampshire where he finished his career in the late 1980s.

Bill remained a country boy at heart, walking daily in the woods late into his 80s, making delicious maple syrup, building furniture, chopping wood for their wood cook stove, and doing ambitious house renovations. In the late 1960s he built a cottage on beautiful Highland Lake in Maine, where the family gathered many happy times. Over time, he expanded the cottage so that it became a meeting place for multiple generations of the extended Webster family and friends. His second lifetime project was their historic home in Sanbornton, which dated back to the 1700s. Bill and Bickie remodeled and expanded the house, even dismantling, moving and rebuilding a rundown barn on a nearby farm to their property. Bill always loved a good project! Most of all, Bill and Bickie loved to play golf and spend time with family in Maine, Sanbornton, and Anna Marie Island, Florida. He was the patriarch of the family and a role model for all that knew him. He touched people in a genuine and unique way and was always there for a heart to heart conversation or to share a laugh over a good story.

Bill was predeceased by his wife Bickie in 2019; and by his brother, Karl and wife Jean of Brooksville, Maine. He is survived by his younger brother, John and wife Martha Webster who reside in Maryland; daughters, Katherine E. Webster who lives with husband Bob Foy in Toye, Northern Ireland, and Nance D. Webster of Laconia; and son, Robert J. Webster and wife Susan G. Webster who reside in Atlanta, GA. Bill also has three loving grandsons, Ryan Webster Curtis and his fiancé Amanda Chance who reside in Tilton, J. William Webster and his wife Emily S. Webster, and Jonathan H. Webster, all of whom reside in Atlanta. He is also survived by a loving family of cousins, nieces and nephews within the Cass, Bickford and Websters, who all treasured their Uncle Bill.

Bill suffered a head injury from a fall in 2017 and was not predicted to recover back to a mobile life. But, thanks to Bill’s motivation and the expertise of the incredible staff of professionals at Winship Rehabilitation Center in Bath, ME, at Norway Rehabilitation in ME, his family and the home care givers in Bridgton, Bill was able to walk again and lived an active life until his passing. His family also expresses their gratitude to his assisted living caretakers at Sunrise Senior Living in Atlanta, the Taylor Home in Laconia, the Meredith Bay Colony Club and the staff at the Senior Care unit at Laconia Hospital who made his last days so peaceful.

A private memorial celebration will be held at a later date.

Bill loved his cottage in Maine and the natural beauty of the area. He was a benefactor of Lakes Environmental Association (“LEA”) and in lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to LEA at www.mainelakes.org or by check to Lakes Environmental Association, 230 Main Street, Bridgton, ME 04009.