William Michael Stack

William Michael Stack

William Michael Stack, 69, of New Canaan, CT, passed away on January 16, 2018 after living for many years with Parkinson's Disease He passed away at home with his loving children Liam and Caitlin and his friends Ama Akrasi and Marline Hyatt by his side

William, known as Bill, was born on September 20, 1948 in Yonkers, NY to the late William Stack, of Lismore, Co Waterford, Ireland and the late Mary Gecox Stack, who lived as a young child in Dungarvan, Co Waterford

Bill was raised in the Riverdale section of The Bronx, NY, with his older sister Maureen and his younger sister Patricia, in a joyful home filled with laughter, stories and songs The family lived in an apartment across the hall from their close friends Sylvia and Milton Jacobson and one floor below Bill's aunt, Ida Gecox

Bill was educated at Fordham Preparatory School, Fordham University and Fordham Law School In 1975 he married Joanne Tunney, who also studied at Fordham Law School They lived for a time in Locust Valley, NY, before settling in New Canaan in 1987

Bill enjoyed a legal career at West Publishing Company in Westbury, NY, before he devoted himself to raising his children, with the assistance of his mother Mary, after Joanne died of breast cancer in 1994 His love for and dedication to his children, who were each his pride and joy, was the North Star that guided him through all the remaining years of his life

Bill's other great passions were history and politics, particularly those of Ireland, an interest nurtured by the stories of his parents He was an advocate for the Northern Ireland Peace Process and a generous supporter of Sinn Fein as it negotiated the 1998 Good Friday Agreement that brought the country's decades-long conflict to an end

In 1996, Bill established the annual William and Mary Stack Lecture in Irish History and Culture at Fairfield University, a program dedicated to his mother and father The program hosted events by a range of Irish political and cultural figures, including  Bertie Ahern, the Taoiseach, or Prime Minister; the President of Sinn Fein, Gerry Adams; the Irish Ambassador to the United States, Sean O'Huiginn; and John Bruton, the former Taoiseach and Ambassador of the European Union to the United States

Bill also served on the Trustees Advisory Council at Fairfield University from 1998-2006

Bill is survived by his devoted and loving children, Liam, of New York, NY, and Caitlin of New Canaan, CT; his sister Maureen Diffley, her husband George and their children, Megan and Kara; and his sister Pat Stack and her children William, Brendan and Nora; his late wife's brother, Patrick Tunney and his wife, Marianne, and their daughters, Kirsten and Meredith; and his grandnieces Katie, Molly, and Bridget Reddy, Madeleine Fournier and Lily Stapleton

He is predeceased by his parents, William Stack and Mary Gecox Stack, and his wife, Joanne

A Mass of Christian Burial was Celebrated at St Aloysius Church in New Canaan, CT on Saturday, January 20, 2018 at 1:30pm Interment followed at Lakeview Cemetery

For online condolences and directions please visit wwwhoytfuneralhomecom