WILLIAM M. ALDRICH

ALDRICH, William M. Shelburne, VT William McGill Aldrich, 73 If you have ever been on Lake Champlain chances are you have come across a man in a bold, colorful shirt wearing aviator sunglasses and a permanent smile on a large, pristine wooden boat. This gentleman and lifelong boater was William McGill Aldrich, better known by his friends and family as Bill. Bill, along with his surviving brother Tommy, was born and raised in Westford, Massachusetts by his mother Evelyn McGill Aldrich and father Thomas Ross Aldrich, Jr. He grew up visiting his grandparents on Bass River where he learned to sail on a Beetle Cat, setting the foundation for his passion for the water from a young age. Early in life, Bill was an avid athlete who played football, hockey, and was later inducted into the Lawrence Academy Athletic Hall of Fame for his tennis prowess during his undefeated 1965 season. Bill eventually moved from Boston to Champlain Valley after serving in the Marine Corps and studying at Parsons College. He shared his passion for boats and his commitment to service by joining the Antique Boat Society, Lake Champlain Chapter, serving on the board of Governors of Lake Champlain Yacht Club, and proudly volunteering for the North Country Honor Flight Foundation. While his boats were recognized for their meticulous preservation, particularly his 1963 Chris Craft Sea Skiff "Miss Magic", he showed tireless effort in his support for veterans. Bill's life was made whole by the birth of his daughter Alexandra McGill Aldrich, whom he adored. From their earliest moments together to his last days, he motored Alexandra around Lake Champlain forging an eternal bond. Bill's spirit is carried on by his loving daughter, his son-in-law, Renier E.T. van Breen, his three grandsons Hendrik Charles, William Alexander, and Theodoor Aldrich and extended family and friends he traded endless laughs with on the lake. A private Burial will take place at Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts in the near future. A Memorial celebrating his life will be held at Lake Champlain Yacht Club at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Bill can be made to North Country Honor Flight or the Navy Seal Foundation. Arrangements are in care of the Cremation Society of Chittenden County, a division of the Ready Family Funeral Homes. To send online condolences to his family, please visit www.cremationsocietycc.com

View the online memorial for William M. ALDRICH