William West Winter Jr.

William West Winter Jr. WAYLAND William "Bill" West Winter Jr., 56, of Wayland, died Sunday, Aug. 17, 2008, after being stricken suddenly at his residence in Wayland on Aug. 9. He was born in Norwalk, Conn. on Sept. 15, 1951, the son of Mary "Betty" (Carolan) Winter of Sudbury and William West Winter Sr., who died in June 1978. Bill spent his early years in New Canaan, Conn., and resided in Sudbury from 1964 until 1978. He has been a resident of Wayland for over 30 years. Bill graduated from Lincoln-Sudbury High School with the Class of 1969, where he played as a drummer with several bands. His interest in music led him to the Boston Conservatory of Music, where he majored in music education and received his BA in 1976. From high school on, he worked at Russell's Garden Center in Wayland. While he continued school, he taught private lessons and raised a family. Bill's career with Russell's spanned over 40 years, over which time he held many positions, including grower, buyer, nursery and foliage manager and head of customer service. In the mid 1990s, he hosted "Down to Earth," a weekly gardening radio show. His many interests included music, photography, hiking, carpentry, American history, and most recently, as a drummer with the band Mid-Life Crisis. Bill will be greatly missed by all who had the pleasure to know him; family, friends, fellow employees and the many customers he helped keep their gardens growing. Bill is survived by his loving wife of 24 years, Marie (Marshall) Winter of Wayland. He was the devoted father of Liam M. Winter of Wayland and Adrian R. Winter of New York City. He is survived by his mother and his sisters, Susan W. Frommer of Concord and Anna Winter Rasmussen and her husband, Neil, of Concord, and their children, Anders and Autumn. He is also survived by his wife's family, Josephine Marshall of Wayland, John Marshall of Wayland, Jean Marshall of Wellesley, Joanne (Marshall) Silvernail and Rev. Dr. David V. Silvernail Jr. of Leesburg, Va., and their children, David III, Rebecca, Sarah, Daniel and Samuel. Bill also leaves his beloved German Shepherds, Angie and Emma. Visitation will be held on Sunday, Aug. 24, from 5 to 8 p.m., in the Bryant Memorial Chapel of the John C. Bryant Funeral Home, 56 Pemberton Road (off Route 30), Wayland. A memorial service celebrating Bill's life will be held on Monday, Aug. 25, at 4 p.m., at the Martha Mary Chapel, 72 Wayside Inn Road, Sudbury. Private interment for the family will be held at Lakeview Cemetery in Wayland. In lieu of flowers, his family requests that memorial donations in Bill's memory be sent to Heifer International, 216 Wachusett St., Rutland, MA 01543, or the MGH Cardiovascular Fund, 55 Fruit St., Boston, MA 02114.