William DesSoye

William (Willie) DesSoye, of Yonkers, entered eternal rest on Sunday, March 29, 2026 at the age of 69.

Willie was born in Buffalo, NY on May 25, 1956 to Dennis and Lena DesSoye. He grew up on Long Island and in Brooklyn. He graduated from High School of Art & Design and attended Staten Island Community College for architecture. Willie was a gifted artist, a lover of trains, model planes and muscle cars. His love of SciFi, supernatural, and Marvel Movies was another pastime.

Willie held many jobs during his life. One he was proud of was owner of a hotdog truck parked in Williamsburg. This developed his love of hot dogs. He was a NYC Bus Driver for several years before becoming a laborer for Local 79. He worked his way up to General Construction Supervisor through hard work, attention to detail, and willingness to learn. He had the honor of supervising the interior renovation of the Columbia University Butler Library. His patience and artistic ability afforded him the opportunity to restore multiple elaborate plaster moldings in the library.

In 1977, Willie met the love of his life, Karen Marinaccio. Both families had a summer home in the Poconos. They married in 1981 and honeymooned at Disney World. This was the beginning of the obsession. They traveled there yearly with their children and grandchildren. In 2005, the family took their first cruise. Willie was hooked on cruising. He enjoyed many cruise vacations with family over the years. His last cruise was in February 2026.

Willie was a devoted family man who cherished spending time with his children and grandchildren. He coached his daughter's softball teams and attended his grandchildren's basketball and softball games. Two days would go by and he'd say "Let's go see the kids!". He did many projects, paintings and loved teaching the grandchildren how to draw.

Willie is survived by his loving wife Karen, of 44 years, his daughters Danielle DesSoye and Toni (Eric) LaManna, his grandchildren Kayla, Nicole, Sophie, and Austin, his sister Lorraine (Marty) Gnolfo, as well as his nephews, nieces, and cousins.

He will be sorely missed by all that loved him.

A memorial gathering will take place on Monday, April 6, 2026 from 4 to 8 PM at Ruggiero & Sons, Inc. Funeral Home - 732 Yonkers Avenue - Yonkers, NY 10704. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday, April 7, 2026 at 10:30 AM at St. John the Baptist Church - 670 Yonkers Avenue - Yonkers, NY 10704. All services will conclude at church.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in William's memory to Calvary Hospice or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.