William “Bill” Patrick Stratford died August 14, 2017, at his home in Southampton. He was 84.
Raised in Rosedale, he was one of eight children that also included Mary, Kaye, Jane, Margaret, John, Bernard and James.
As a young man, he held positions as an aircraft parts assembly technician, and an oil burner repair technician until he became a residential plumber in the Town of Southampton. He then progressed to commercial plumbing, leading major plumbing projects such as the East Hampton High School, Central Suffolk Hospital in Riverhead, Eastern Long Island Hospital in Riverhead and Entenmann’s Bakery. In 1980, he opened his own plumbing company, Stratford Plumbing, which continues successfully today under the leadership of his son, Todd.
Mr. Stratford had a passion for golf and was a member at Southampton Golf Club for more than 45 years. He was also a member of Bullhead Yacht Club. He enjoyed volunteering for various school projects. He served on the board of directors for Layton Avenue Apartments.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Sonia; sons, Wayne and Todd, and their wives, Patricia and June; granddaughters, Lia Brigner, Hope and Faye Stratford; a great-granddaughter, Lily Brigner; sisters, Jane Winkler and Margaret Diemer; and many close friends and relatives.
A funeral service was held August 17 at O’Connell-Rothwell Funeral Home of Southampton; burial followed at Southampton Cemetery.