William Frederick "Bill" Dohrmann III

1935 - 2018

Stonington - William (Bill) Frederick Dohrmann III, 82, passed away peacefully in his home in Stonington, on Sunday morning, Jan. 14, 2018.

Born on Jan. 25, 1935, Bill was raised in Indian Hill, Ohio, outside of Cincinnati. He attended The Hotchkiss School in Connecticut (1949–52) and the Lawrenceville School in New Jersey (1952–53). He earned a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Princeton University in 1957, where he was a member of Ivy Club. The friendships he built at Princeton became sustaining lifelong bonds. He attended the Advanced Management Program at Harvard's Business School in 1975.

An avid sailor, Bill learned in northern Lake Michigan's cold waters as a boy, later becoming sailing master at his beloved Northport Point, in Northport Mich. In 1968, he became one of the five-man crew of the Compass Rose, a 49-foot Dutch ketch making its maiden voyage from Africa to Antigua, a trip navigated by the stars. Bill kept a log of the trip, which combines his delight in both language and the sea, punctuated by his jaunty sketches and wry humor.

Bill began his career in advertising in Chicago. In 1968, he moved to the Boston area to work in research and development for the game and toy industry. In his years at Parker Brothers and Hasbro, Bill discovered and developed hundreds of games-among his legacy are the Nerf Ball and Boggle. His creative, gentle, and generous way made him beloved by all who worked with him.

Bill was a reader of history, philosophy, and literature, and reviewed many works as a contributing editor of The Readers Exchange. He quoted poetry by heart and knew every lyric of the standard American songbook. Among his most vivid qualities were his sense of humor and infectious laugh.

In 1989, Bill married Linda Ritchey Post, and they lived in Canton and Stonington. He was a member of the Misquamicut Club in Watch Hill, R.I., the Stonington Harbor Yacht Club, and the Wadawanuck Club, also in Stonington. A good shot, he loved hunting ducks and upland game with his dog at heel.

In 2002, Bill survived an aortic aneurism which left him in a wheelchair. Despite this devastating blow, Bill always felt lucky to be alive and approached every day of these past 15 years with grace and gratitude. Aided by the love and care of his wife Linda, Bill's life was rich, and through friends, reading, travel, and a positive approach to the world marked by wonder, curiosity, and laughter, he made sure that his horizons were ever vast.

In addition to his wife of 28 years, he is survived by three children from his first marriage to Jane Bosworth Bingham: William F. Dohrmann IV (Amy) of Port Ste. Lucie, Fla., Natalie B. Dohrmann (Peter Struck) of Philadelphia, and Ross G. Dohrmann (Renee Fagone) of Portland. Maine; four stepchildren, Rusty Post, Lincoln Post (Emily), Katherine Post, and Alison Post, all of Washington state; and 12 grandchildren. He also leaves behind a sister, Katherine Wilson (Thomas) of Grosse Pointe Shores, Mich. His brother, Edward (Renie) of Cincinnati, Ohio, died in 2014.

A memorial gathering will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 27, at Calvary Church, 27 Church St., Stonington.