William B. Rush

The Honorable William B. Rush
William B. Rush passed away peacefully, at age 91, on March 7, 2026, with his wife, Sally, and his family by his side. He was predeceased by his father, William P. Rush; and his mother, Gladys Rush; as well as his brother, Father James C. Rush, of West Hartford, CT. He was also predeceased by his in-laws, Harry and Evelyn Nettelbladt; and their son, Thomas Nettelbladt, of Avon, CT.
A longtime resident of Fairfield, Bill, as he was affectionately known, lived a beautiful life as a wonderful husband to Sally Anne Rush, as well as a terrific father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend to all who knew him. He will be missed immensely.
In addition to Sally, his wife of 67 years, Bill is survived by their four sons, who often tested his unwavering patience that he brought to every facet of his life. They include their eldest son, Kieran, and his wife, Eva, of Stamford, Tim and his wife, Dana, of Houston, Brian and his partner, Paula, of Danbury, and their youngest son, David, and his wife, Alicen, of Fairfield. Bill also leaves behind his beloved nephew, Michael Nettelbladt. His legacy continues through his cherished grandchildren: William, Katie and her husband, Jason, Collin and his wife, Alex, Aidan and his girlfriend, Kate, and Brendan, Jamie, and Julia. He was also the proud great-grandfather to Connor and Julia Rush, the children of Collin and Alex.
Professionally, Bill was a man of immense intellect and integrity, who made a profound impact on those around him. After his undergraduate studies at Wesleyan University (where he was also a track and field star), he continued his studies at UConn Law School. This led to him clerking for the Honorable Raymond Baldwin and serving as the Editor-in-Chief for the Connecticut Law Review. Bill then took his talents to Pullman Comley, a law firm that had almost more names in it at the time than Bill had sons (Pullman, Comely, Bradley, and Reaves). While he navigated many high-profile cases during his tenure at the firm, he rarely spoke of them; his deep humility and stoic nature always took precedence over his personal accolades. He then seized the opportunity to do the one thing he aspired to do most, serving the court and the residents of Connecticut as a judge. Bill served on the bench of the Connecticut Superior Court for 30 years, after which he retired to take care of his beloved wife, Sally. In his post-graduate years, Bill served as the President of the UConn Law School Alumni Association from 1971 to 1972, and in 1990, he was awarded the Medal of Excellence from the UConn Law School Alumni Association. Additionally, in 1991, Bill was inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.
Bill will be remembered as a distinguished litigator and judge, who not only had a deep understanding of the law, but served with basic fairness close to his heart. Bill will be remembered as a devoted husband and a supportive, loving dad, brother, son, grandpa, great-grandpa and friend.
The family would like to acknowledge the many special people in Bill's life, including his close friends, neighbors, and co-workers, who loved him and shared their friendship with him over the years. He truly loved them all and deeply valued the time spent with each and every one of them. We would also like to thank the amazing staff at Bridges by EPOCH in Trumbull, the memory care facility Bill moved into specifically to be with his wife, Sally. Their support, aid, and comfort made Bill's life wonderful. We extend our deepest appreciation to all the nurses and caregivers who took care of Bill and who continue to care for Sally. In particular, we thank Jessica and Angelina from Constellation Health Services, who not only provided Bill with hospice care and relief from pain, but also immense compassion.
Calling hours will be held on Friday, March 13th, 2026, from 4-8pm at the Lesko Funeral Home, 1209 Post Road, Fairfield Center. Services will continue on Saturday, March 14th, 2026, with a prayer service at the funeral home at 10:30 am. The services will proceed to Mt. Grove Cemetery in Bridgeport, where William will be laid to rest. For travel directions or to sign his online guest register, please visit www.LeskoFuneralHome.com .
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, www.stjude.org .