William Earl "Bill" Bates

1977 - 2023

Groton - William Earl "Bill" Bates, 45, of Groton, left the troubles of this world Thursday, April 13, 2023, at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital due to heart failure. He is survived by his beloved mother Pamela Branche Maffia; his stepfather Mike Maffia; two beloved cats, Squint and Lila; and countless close friends.

Bill's memorial concert celebration will be held from 8 to 11:30 p.m. Thursday, May 18, at Strange Brew Pub in Norwich. As an avid motorcycle enthusiast, he will be honored by a ride starting at 5 p.m. at the commuter lot off exit 18 on I-395. Details may be found on FB's "Ride to the Memorial of Bill Bates."

Bill was unleashed onto this world Nov. 16, 1977, in New London. He graduated from Fitch High School in 1995, attended Three Rivers Community College, and went on to work in IT for two of the region's top employers, Pfizer and Electric Boat.

Bill was a lover of live music and taught himself to play guitar and bass in high school. Some of the bands he would go on to play in were Crossthread, Holding On To Nothing, Black North, Inablackout, Mourn the Light, NME, Then, Analysand, and Daisy Head Mayzie.

In addition to music, Bill loved to build and fix things - from cars to computers, from motorcycles to musical instruments. He was a tinkerer's tinker. Many of his friends and family depended on his deft hands and sound advice. He owned and operated 1428 computers and then 1428 guitars to serve that end. Bill also loved all things retro. He preferred his music on vinyl and his video games on cartridges. He was an enthusiastic collector of cheesy old horror flicks and memorabilia and adored all things VW and Hello Kitty. Yet, Bill's life was not idyllic by any stretch. He had many personal challenges which took herculean efforts to overcome. He struggled early with substance use disorder and mental health issues. While he won his sobriety and maintained it for the last 23 years, he battled anxiety and suicidal depression his whole life. He was active in Narcotics Anonymous; and he was public and proud of his recovery. He helped many struggling as he did to find a new way of life. He was a helper, healer, fixer and beacon of hope. He embodied song, strength, and character. His memory will be alive in every song on every stage at every venue that was graced with his presence.

Bill cared for those underserved and overlooked in our midst. In lieu of flowers, please support your neighbors in any way you can, especially with your time and expertise. Additionally, donations may be made to Autism Services & Resources Connecticut and Narcotics Anonymous in his honor.