William R. Toni

William Richard (Bill/Dick) Tonï, Senior Master Sergeant (SMSgt) U.S, Air Force

(Retired), died peacefully on 26 August 2025, at Ginger Cove, Annapolis, Maryland. He

was 88.

Bill was a devoted husband to Helen, and loving dad to David and Alison. He will be

remembered as Opa and Grandad by Isabella, Thomas, and Nico, all who credit him for

introducing them to golf, fishing, and black and white TV westerns. He is also survived

by his much-loved cousins Wilma, Andy, Gloria, and Patty.

Born on 11 February 1937, and raised in Niagara Falls, New York, to Lawrence William

and Grace Eleanor (Beers) Tonï, an only child, he was surrounded by large extended

families. His first job was parking cars in a Niagara Falls parking lot, where his father

was his boss. After high school, he joined the Air Force and began a 28-year career of

travel, adventure, and Air Force-sponsored athletics. He spent significant portions of his

career playing soccer, golf, bowling, and especially fastpitch softball, where he

dominated as a pitcher on fastpitch teams across Europe, Asia, and the U.S. – always

sporting his lucky number 14!

His first overseas assignment in 1958 took him to RAF Kirknewton, Scotland and

ultimately to Helen Candlish; the rest is history. Next stop was San Vito, Italy. From

there, he transferred to Hof Air Station in Germany, where Helen finally agreed to marry

him! They married at St Peter's Episcopal Church in Edinburgh on 14 June 1963.

Returning to Germany with Helen, they set up home in Oberkatzau, where David and

Alison were born.

Other assignments included unaccompanied tours to Taiwan in 1968 and Shemya,

Alaska in 1972, with Bill keeping in touch through photos and audio tapes. In 1969, the

family moved to Italy for Bill's second assignment at San Vito. There Bill led his fastpitch

team to win the Air Force's European Championship and later lead an all-star team to

second place at the Air Force worldwide championship.

Bill's longest assignment, 1973-1979, was at RAF Chicksands, England, where he

managed to fit in managing the housing office between softball and golf tournaments.

In 1979, Bill and family moved to Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, where Bill earned his

promotion to SMSgt. His final assignment was the Defense Intelligence Agency at

Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C., where he capped his Cold War service as

Administrative Superintendent of the Soviet-Warsaw Pact Division.

In 1984, Bill and Helen moved to Bowie, Maryland, where they spent 38 years. Bill, the

consummate "people person," worked at the EPA managing the video and

teleconference facility.

In retirement Bill said he golfed everyday ending in "Y". He played for the pure joy of the

game, never competitive but achieving three holes-in-one.

Travel remained a big part of Bill and Helen's retirement with cruises and travel to their

kids' homes in Turkey, South Africa, and Chile. In 2022, Bill & Helen moved to the

Ginger Cove retirement community where Bill was surrounded by the love of family,

friends, and incredible staff.