William "Bill" Van Nort

1939 - 2024

William "Bill" Van Nort passed away peacefully on July 15, 2024, at Albany Medical Center in Albany, NY, on his own terms and after a long and courageous battle with heart and kidney failure in which he still managed to enjoy life to its fullest, seemingly unfazed in the face of daily life and death struggle. As he liked to note, in early 2018 he was given a 50/50 chance of living one year, and in the six years since was told by many a doctor that he would not make it six months.
Bill was born in Schuyler, New York on May 5, 1939, the son of the late Margaret Farrell and Lester Van Nort. His love of his mother was clear, and was strengthened during his formative years growing up on Frankfort Hill with her as well as with his aunt and uncle, Stella and Phil Lieberman. He graduated from Frankfort High School and proceeded to enlist in the United States Marine Corps, serving for four and a half years from 1958-1962 and joining a Marine Amphibious Unit that would take him to Okinawa, the Philippines, Taiwan and Hong Kong. He spoke often and fondly of his travels around the Pacific with the Marines, of his ascension through the ranks, encouragement from his commanding officers to stay and seek further promotions, of his marksmanship with an M1 and a 106, and of his leadership of a team of anti-tank artillerymen.
A longtime resident of Bridgewater, NY and later West Winfield, NY, Bill went on to work at Remington Arms for forty-two and a half years until his retirement in 2014 - and as he proudly pointed out it would have been longer if he had begun at first opportunity after leaving the military. He was an aficionado of old-school craftsmanship and gunsmithing, and complained of the mass-produced assembly-line direction that gun production has taken.
Indeed, Bill was old-school in many ways: a lover of the classic westerns of John Wayne, of the music and cowboy personas of Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, and of the style of Bing Crosby - who he had the pleasure of meeting and having a drink with in a California bar many years ago. Bill was certainly a man of his era and of his Marine training - he was tough, cool under pressure, and he listened more than he spoke. At the same time, he possessed a strong sense of fairness and justice, a hidden sensitivity that may be unappreciated by strangers, and was compassionate towards people and animals alike.
Bill made fast friends wherever he went with his smile, easygoing nature, charm and wit. This includes many friends over his decades at Remington, all the way up to the many friends - both resident and staff - that he made over five years at Millview of Latham Assisted Living in Latham, NY. Bill spent his final five and a half months at Albany Medical Center, chatting every day with hospital staff in both the C8 and CCU units about history and current events, socializing and maintaining a sense of life and vitality in the face of a tough situation.
Bill's children would often joke with him that a "Van Nort goodbye" could last an hour, as the conversation still had much to offer and neither side wanted it to end. He loved to give directions at any time to any place in the greater Central New York area, and had an encyclopedic spatial memory for street names, turns, and alternate routes which proved to be accurate even for places he hadn't been in 40 years. Bill loved trivia, the casino, he loved studying and discussing the weather as much has anyone his family has ever met, and he loved bowling - he was proud of his 299 game and yet felt the alley owner "froze" him by making him wait an hour until he was there to witness him throwing the final ball. In short, Bill was talented and fun to be around, and he will be sorely missed.
Bill was predeceased by his parents; aunt and uncle; his brother, PFC Lester H. Van Nort USMC (KIA Korea); and his brother, Wesley Van Nort.
Bill is survived by his wife of 60 years, Nancy Van Nort, as well as by his children, Roger (Laraine) Van Nort, Cheryl (Alex) Pusztai, Donna (Jeff) Tanney, Doug (Stacy Denton) Van Nort; as well as by his three granddaughters, Alyssa and Alexia Van Nort, and Anya Pusztai.
The fact that Bill persevered so long and so well was due to his toughness and resilience, but it was also due to the brilliance, rigor and compassion of his cardiologist, Dr. Dmitri Belov. He gave Bill five and half good years that he would not have had otherwise. Thanks is also given to the AMC nursing staff from the CCU, with special mention of Maggie, as well as to the many exceptional nurses on the C8 floor who are too numerous to name here. This last chapter also would not have been possible without the excellent staff at Millview (special thanks to Tara) who did so much to care for Bill over these past five years.
Bill's life will be celebrated on Friday, August 16, at 11 a.m. with a graveside service at Fairview Cemetery, 9722 Cemetery Rd, Cassville, NY. His friends are welcome to attend. Arrangements are with the Dimbleby Funeral Homes Inc. 365 West Main St. West Winfield.
For online expressions of sympathy please go to www.dimblebyfh.com.