On Feb. 6, William Wesley Waterman, 85, of Centerbrook, passed away peacefully with his loving family by his side.

William, who was known to most as Billy and Grampy or Poppy to his grandchildren, was born in Deep River, the eldest of five siblings. He grew up in the tri-town area living in Chester, Deep River, and the Ivoryton and Centerbrook sections of Essex, throughout his life. Billy was a graduate of Valley Regional High School class of 1955, where he was known to be a pretty good baseball player, with a quick glove at second base and one heck of an arm. After high school, he continued his love of the game, playing softball in the Deep River League for many years. Most of it with lifelong friends on The Swede Club Team. He also passed along his knowledge and love of the game, coaching woman’s softball for a team his eldest daughter, Bonni, played on.

Billy absolutely loved playing and watching golf! He was known to his golfing buddies as a better-than-average golfer with a consistently low handicap and a “sweet swing.” In his retirement years, he enjoyed making the occasional Driver for a lucky few friends.

Billy entered the working world as a teen and held a variety of jobs, often two at a time, for most of his working life. It included a 40-plus year career as a quality control inspector at Turbo Products in Ivoryton, then at The Lee Company in Westbrook, where he worked until retirement. In addition, he was the owner of Bills Package Store in Chester Center during the late ’70s and early ’80s and later the co-owner of Aggies Restaurant in Ivoryton, with his wife Agnes, for over 25 years. An early riser, Billy opened the restaurant every day, started the coffee, fired up the grill, then poured coffee for the handful of early morning faithful that were there an hour earlier than the restaurant opened.

Billy loved traveling, including tent, van, and RV camping throughout the US and Canada, with his wife Agnes and close friends. He and Agnes also enjoyed cruising throughout the Caribbean and even traversed the Panama Canal. Their travels eventually led Billy and Agnes to Yuma, Arizona, where they spent 16 winters making lifelong and cherished friends and enjoying a hard-earned retirement. While there, they often made excursions into Mexico with friends, and Billy’s moves on the dance floor during Bonita Mesa Resort Parties made him a highly sought-after dance partner.

When back home in Connecticut, Billy enjoyed attending his grandchildren’s sporting events, a good hot dog from a local drive-in, and car rides along the shoreline. It was also very rare that he missed a Yankees or Red Sox game on TV. Yes, he was a fan of either, depending on which way the standings went, and he had both teams’ baseball caps always at the ready.

Billy is survived by his loving wife of 40 plus years, Agnes (Gill) Waterman; siblings, Cindy Budney of Ivoryton, William Kinrade of Deep River, and Marianne Whaples of Centerbrook. He also is survived by his loving children, Bonni Waterman (Walter Ziobron) of Middletown, Rachael Waterman of Troy, New York; stepdaughter Mary Bowers and stepson Patrick Bowers (Carol) both of Ivoryton. Additionally, he leaves behind grandchildren, Dalena Charette of Lincoln, Maine, Tanya Corrigan (Brendan) of Dixmont, Maine, Philip Trudel of Block Island, Rhode Island, Alexa Quinn (Alex) of Glenn Falls, New York, Max Bowers of Bozeman, Montana, Molly Bowers of Nashville, Maddison Estelle of Brooklyn, New York, and Sophie Bowers of Ivoryton; as well as four great-grandchildren, Farrah, Nona, Nevi, and Declan.

Billy was predeceased by his father, Wesley Waterman; his mother, Martha (Woolley) Kinrade and her husband William; a sister, Susanne (Kinrade) Prebble; a previous wife, Joan (Calimari) Waterman; and grandson Patrick Bowers.

Friends and family are invited to a celebration of life from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 25, at The Essex Veterans Memorial Hall.

In lieu of flowers and in honor of Billy’s life, donations may be sent to the Ivoryton Village Alliance, P.O. Box 367, Ivoryton, CT 06442 https://www.ivorytonalliance.org.