William Cate "Bill" Bixby

1933 - 2024

William "Bill" Cate Bixby

Amherst, MA - William "Bill" Cate Bixby passed away peacefully in his home on November 11, 2024 at age 91. He had lived at Applewood, an independent living community, in Amherst since 2018, shortly after the death of his beloved Fran, to whom he had been married for 56 years.

Born on June 7, 1933 in East Haven, CT to Arthur March Bixby and Marie Antoinette Kogel Bixby, Bill grew up with his older brother, Arthur, excelling in sports and enjoying a happy childhood in East Haven, CT.

In 1961, Bill married Frances "Fran" Josephine Hussey and established a home in Madison, NJ. In 1962 they welcomed their son Mark William Bixby. Bill is survived by his son Mark and wife, Jen Bixby and their four children: Tucker and his wife Ruby Defelice, Reed, Evan and Kira, along with his new great-granddaughter, Athena.

Bill graduated from East Haven High School (1951) where he was a star pitcher and was scouted by and received offers from the Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Giants. His father encouraged him to attend college first, so that he would have good prospects if he were ever injured. He did a post graduate year at Suffield Academy (1952) and then went on to star on the Wesleyan University (1956) baseball team, until he did injure his arm in a summer league game. He continued to play at Wesleyan, but that injury was the end of his dream of playing professionally. True to his nature, Bill took this in stride and decided to go into banking, later attending the Stoner Graduate School of Banking at Rutgers University. In 1981, he was elected to the Wesleyan Baseball Hall of Fame.

After serving in the army in Korea in a communications division and completing his service, Bill went back to his banking job at Fidelity Union Trust Company where he eventually became branch manager and later president of the Morristown subsidiary. In 1960, he met "the light of his life", Fran, who was working as an auditor at Fidelity. He retired from Fidelity in 1990, but soon took another job as a loan officer to religious institutions for PNC bank.

The family lived in Madison, NJ and then Bedminster, NJ and after Bill's second and final retirement, he and Fran moved to Amherst, MA to be close to their son, his wife and Bill's four grandchildren. Bill was an exceptional grandfather, cheering his grandchildren on at sports games, recitals and plays and driving them and their teammates to practices in the region, rehearsals and lessons. He never said 'no' to a chance to spend time with his grandchildren or to help out and enjoyed the laughter and antics of all ages. In retirement, he also volunteered at the Amherst Senior Center, went to innumerable Amherst College sporting events and spent long hours walking his dog every day.

Bill is remembered for his unfailingly positive disposition, his dependability, his conscientiousness, his care and love for Fran and for his grandchildren. Bill was never harsh with anyone, as he chose to see the best in each person he met. He will be missed by all who knew him.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the Amherst Women's Club on Saturday, November 23, 2024 from 9:30am to noon.