William Joel Kronholm

William J. Kronholm, 80, died April 4, 2025, peacefully at home after a long battle with cancer. Bill moved to Sun City in December 2020 from Wilmington, N.C.

Born Sept. 22, 1944, in Windsor, Conn., he was the son of William L. and Alice V. (Olin) Kronholm. He lived in Windsor most of his life and was very proud to be an alumnus of The Loomis School (later The Loomis Chaffee School). He attended Tufts University before studying abroad in the Black Forest of Germany. Upon returning to the United States, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in Berlin, Germany, from 1966-70. After his service, Bill went to work for The Hartford Courant, retiring after more than 30 years in the Information Systems Department.

Bill met the love of his life and best friend, Lynne (Leahy) Kronholm in 1976, and they were married on June 18, 1977. They had two children, Jennifer Kronholm Clark and William C. Kronholm, of whom Bill was always proud. He was their biggest fan, whether he was cheering on the sidelines of a soccer game or attending band concerts.

Bill was an avid photographer and built a darkroom in his basement. He enjoyed the challenge of learning digital photography when he finally purchased an SLR. He was a fierce competitor in cribbage, and was a regular at the Sun City Cribbage Club. Bill had a great mind for detail and was able to recall obscure trivia for crossword puzzles and Jeopardy! games. He was always reading, with his favorite genres being fantasy, science fiction, history, and biography. His love of books and learning led him to volunteer in libraries, beginning with the schools his children attended and expanding to libraries in North Carolina and Arizona. He also volunteered for many years at First Church in Windsor.

Bill and Lynne enjoyed traveling and made visits to six out of seven continents, including Antarctica. Bill was always up for an adventure and loved exploring cultural sites and museums.

In addition to his wife and children, Bill is survived by a son-in-law, James Clark, a daughter-in-law, Patty Jula, grandchildren Niki and Avery Clark, his brother, James Kronholm, and many nieces and nephews, extended family, and friends. He was predeceased by his sisters, Janice Kronholm and Jean Fink.

Bill’s family would like to thank Hospice of the Valley for their tender care. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of the Valley, 1510 E. Flower St., Phoenix, AZ 85014, to Sunshine Service, 9980 W Santa Fe Dr., Sun City, AZ 85351, or to your local school library.