William R. "Bill" Bronson

William "Bill" R. Bronson, MD, 87, of West Hartford, formerly of Farmington, died Thursday, January 31, 2019 at Hartford Hospital. He was the beloved husband of Jean (Fredrickson) Bronson. Born in Middletown, the son of the late Paul N. and Dorothy (Carlson) Bronson, Bill grew up in Portland and graduated from Portland High School. He graduated from Wesleyan University in Middletown in 1953 where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. While at Wesleyan, he met Jean and the couple married in 1954. Bill continued his studies at the University of Rochester School of Medicine, where he was elected into the national medical honor society, Alpha Omega Alpha. After graduating in 1958, he remained there in residency for two years before training and serving with the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD for 6 years. In 1966, Bill joined the staff of Hartford Hospital as the Director of the Hematology Laboratory. He was subsequently promoted to Chairman of the Department of Pathology and retired in 1994. Dr. Bronson was known for his high level of competency, integrity, strong intellect and unassuming manner. As a young child, Bill enjoyed collectables, a passion he pursued his entire life. He later developed a passion for ornithology and natural history, and served on the Trinity College Watkinson Library Board of Trustees. Bill will always be remembered by his family and friends as a thoughtful, wise and kind person.In addition to Jean, his wife of 65 years, Bill is survived by five children and their families, James P. Bronson and his children Callum and Nicola of Gilford, NH; Ellen Young and her husband Vincent of Brookfield; Karen Peterson, her husband Josh, and her children Madison, Nathaniel, and Caroline of Seekonk, MA; William R. Bronson, Jr. of Farmington; and Paul N. Bronson, his wife Jenny, and their children, Kate and Lucas of West Hartford. Bill is survived by his brother Charles Bronson of Cromwell and several nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his brother John D. Bronson. A Funeral Service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 5, 2019 at Emanuel Lutheran Church, 311 Capitol Avenue, Hartford. Burial will follow at the Swedish Cemetery, Portland. There are no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Cornell Lab of Ornithology, www.birds.cornell.edu. Taylor & Modeen Funeral Home, West Hartford has care of arrangements. For directions and online condolences, please visit www.taylorandmodeen.com.