William L. Conrad

William L. Conrad, 85, a life-long Somerville resident, passed away on April 23, surrounded by his many friends. Born on October 17, 1938, Bill was the son of Leo A. Conrad and Mildred H. Conrad, and brother of the late Robert Conrad. He graduated from Somerville High School in 1957, served in the Army Medical Corps in Verdun, France from 1959-1961, and lived in San Francisco and Denver. He traveled throughout Europe and spent considerable time in Canada with his relatives. However, Union Square was his home where he was affectionately known as "Mister Mayor."
Passionate about music, Bill worked as a manager at Orpheus, the music shop near the Berklee School. He was part of the Boston's club scene in the 1960s-1990s, introducing classical music to Sporter's, the club for which he made a historical video in 1982. He supported various musicians, producing a CD for the Boston-based singer Donald Wilkinson, and most recently created a collection of vocal music. A lover of opera, and of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Bill also had the uncanny ability to identify and assess just about any vocalist, or for that matter, any actor, you could name.
Although the phrase "to know him is to love him" is hackneyed and often an exaggeration, in Bill's case, it is true. Throughout his life, his interest in the people around him, his skills as a story teller, his receptivity to new ideas, his grounding as a listener and confidant, and his wicked humor made him a much beloved and trusted friend. To so many younger friends, he was "Papa" and "Uncle Bill." His neighbors will remember him in part through the endless Rose-of-Sharon bushes and other lovely flowering plants he installed, with or without our permission, in our yards. Those of us lucky to have known him will carry his voice in our heads and his moral compass in our hearts.
In lieu of flowers, please contribute to The History Project, 565 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02116.