Dr WILLIAM J. HANRATTY

Age 79. Oral surgeon and real estate developer, died in his home in Lansing, Michigan on Sunday, January 9, 2005. A long-time Albuquerque resident, Dr. Hanratty was a decorated World War II veteran who fought in the Battles of Normandy and Rhineland. He was awarded three Bronze Stars, the Victory Medal and the Purple Heart; his distinguished service also earned him the Presidential Citation, the Meritorious Citation, France's Croix de Guerre, Belgium's Croix de Guerre, and the French Double Fourragere. He retired from the Reserves as a Lt. Colonel. Born July 30, 1925 in Detroit, Michigan to Joseph Hugh Hanratty and Beatrice Marion Rohlman, Dr. Hanratty was an Eagle Scout who graduated Cum Laude from Detroit's Cass High School. He earned his Bachelors of Science from Wayne State University in 1950, and received his DDS in Dentistry in 1954 from the University of Detroit. He completed his oral surgeon residency in 1957 at Detroit General Hospital and received his Masters of Science from the University of Detroit that same year. Dr. Hanratty received his Masters of Public Health from the University of Michigan and completed his public health residency in Lake County, Illinois. William was a gregarious man who savored the friendships he naturally engendered. He was still in contact with childhood friends, and once befriended by Bill, you were his for life. Horace Floyd, one of Bill's closest friends since their days together at Cass reminisced, "You couldn't find a better friend than Bill; he was always there to cheer you on. He was a very spirited guy, and in all the years, he never let me down." Dr. William J. Hanratty is survived by his beloved wife Sharon Edgerly Hanratty; his sons Kevin Joseph Hanratty and his wife Lee Suzanne Woodward Hanratty, Patrick Hugh Hanratty, Jonathan William Edgerly and his wife LeeAnn Bokovoy Edgerly , Steven Lee Edgerly and his fiancee Cathleen Costigan; his daughters Kathleen Marie Hanratty and her husband Tony Orant, Pamela Marion Coburn and her husband Jeffrey Coburn, and Sharon Mae Westerfield and her husband Patrick Lawrence Westerfield; his grandsons Sean Patrick Hanratty; Joseph Anthony and William Maxwell Orant; William Willard Coburn; Frank Orlen Westerfield III, Marc Lawrence Westerfield, and Ryan Patrick Westerfield. Visitation is from 5-8 P.M. Thursday with a 7:00 P.M. Vigil Rosary in the Tiffany Funeral Home, 3232 W. Saginaw, Lansing. Funeral Liturgy is 2:00 P.M. Friday, Jan. 14, at St. Gerard Catholic Church, 4437 W. Willow, Lansing. Viewing will be from 1 to 2:00 P.M. Friday at church. Rite of committal and full military honors will be Friday, January 21, 2005 in Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Sparrow Hospice Services, The William Hanratty Rooftop Garden Fund, 1210 W. Saginaw, Lansing, MI 48915.