William Matthew Rafferty

William Matthew Rafferty died on June 14, 2023, one month short of his 70th birthday.

Will was born in Washington, DC to Helen and William Rafferty. His family was active in the Saint Peter's Church parish in Olney, Maryland. He completed his elementary education at Saint Peter's Parochial School. From there, he attended Gonzaga College High School in Washington, DC where he was a proud member of the class of 1971. Will attended Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina and graduated from Radford College in Virginia.

Will had a long and varied career with AT&T in Washington, DC and Virginia. In 1987, he welcomed his daughter, Meagan, to his world. She became and remained the center of his universe and a source of enormous pride as she collected achievements throughout her youth and in her current life as an attorney. Will and Winnie were married in 1996. They lived in Centreville and Lake Anna, Virginia until moving to Chapel Hill, North Carolina in 2006. His work in asset management continued until his retirement in 2016.

In late 2020, Will and Winnie packed eight suitcases and a dog and moved to Cascais, Portugal, near Lisbon. Touching down in Lisbon was the first time either of them had stepped foot in Portugal. Expat life in Cascais suited them and they basked in the bright sunshine over the Atlantic from its other shore. During the two and a half years in Portugal, they managed to travel to 15 countries (17 if you count Portugal and the USA). These travels enriched their lives and expanded his collection of Hard Rock Caf? t-shirts and shot glasses immeasurably.

Will was an avid reader. His Kindle was always jam packed with a wide array of books. He was also the human IMDB. He could discuss the cast and plot of every TV show or movie ever produced and describe it in detail whether he had seen it or not. This skill also applied to popular music. His musical taste was varied but mostly focused on the Stones and the Beatles. The man rocked a Hard Rock Caf? t-shirt and possessed an impressive collection of tropical shirts. He was a life-long fan of the Washington, DC NFL team - regardless of the name or the win-loss record. Will was a regular at the tailgates that preceded UNC home football games, and the actual games, with a group of friends that he enjoyed and loved. Most people remember Will for his wit and sense of humor. He was also a devoted father, husband, relative, and friend. Everyone always knew that they could count on him and that he'd bring the beer.

Will is survived by his wife, Winnie; daughter Meagan and her wife Carolyn; his brother and sister-in-law Tom and Joan Rafferty; his sister Mary Ellen George; his niece Cara Ridings, and nephew Andrew Rafferty. He is also survived by a large contingent of friends ranging back to his childhood all the way to those in Portugal.

Memorial gatherings will be planned and announced later this summer. If you want to celebrate his life now, you can donate in his honor to a charity of your choice. We also ask that you perform basic acts of kindness - large and small - to others. And think of him.