WILLIAM S. FRIEND

1936 - 2023

FRIEND, William S. Age 86, died peacefully on May 2nd, 2023, at his home in Annisquam, MA, surrounded by all four of his children. He was the loving husband of the late Judy Bishop Friend for 59 years before Judy passed away in March 2020. Born and raised in Newton, MA, William, or "Bill", was the youngest of five children of Natalie Sheldon Friend and F. Stuart Friend. Bill attended Governor Dummer Academy in Byfield, MA, and Hamilton College in Clinton, NY, graduating in 1955 and 1959 respectively. He cherished his years at both his alma maters and remained dedicated to them for the rest of his life, working tirelessly during his tenure as class agent and as an enthusiastic supporter of GDA athletics, attending their football games right through to their most recent season. After college and two years in the Navy, Bill and Judy married in 1961 and soon settled in Ipswich, MA. In 1970, Bill left the corporate world to pursue his passion for antiques, opening Friendship Antiques in a 19th-century dairy barn in Essex, MA. Over the next four decades, Bill and his shop became fixtures of the Essex and New England antique community. After ten years in Ipswich and now a family of six, Bill and Judy moved to Hamilton, MA, and continued to spend every summer in Gloucester, where they had met as teenagers and both of their families held deep roots. Wherever they were, the homes that they created exuded warmth and welcome and hosted countless gatherings to accommodate the incredible circle of family and friends that Bill and Judy had built around them. Bill was naturally curious about the world, and genuinely interested in others' lives and perspectives. He liked to stay well-informed and was empathetic, a good listener, a cool head in a crisis, and deeply loyal, all qualities that made him a beloved and respected friend and member of the communities in which he lived. Both proud and humble, Bill never took himself too seriously, he was known for his childlike appreciation of fun and play which was hard to resist and infectious to those around him. In addition to his family, another source of deep happiness for Bill was spending time at his family's property along the Annisquam River. "The Hill," as it is affectionately known, was a place of personal retreat and great joy to Bill, where he could often be found sitting on the dock with family or alone, reading the newspaper peacefully as the boats passed by on the river. Bill is survived by his four children and their spouses, Wendy H. Friend (Mark Denney) William S. Friend, Jr. (Maryann Morley), Deborah B. Friend (Jenifer Cooksey) and Charlotte F. Gibson (Christopher Gibson); and eight grandchildren, Emily, Sam, William, Rachel, Ben, George, Anna and Olivia; and by Bill's eldest sister Judith F. Strohm, brother and sisters-in-law, numerous nieces and nephews, and cousins. He was predeceased by Judy, his mother and father, his brother Frank, and sisters Gretchen and Susan. Burial services will be private and a celebration of life will be scheduled at a later date. The family wishes to extend their appreciation for his wonderful team of caregivers that became an integral part of our family and Dad's care. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Bill's memory to The Hospital at UPenn, Harron Lung Center, to the attention of Dr. Andrew Courtwright, Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine West Pavilion, 1st Floor 3400 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, to support UPenn's research and treatment of pulmonary disease.

View the online memorial for William S. FRIEND