William Douglas Fossum

12/8/1946 - 2/19/2025

Gales Ferry - William Douglas Fossum, age 78, of Gales Ferry, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025 at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital in New London surrounded by family. He was born in Chicago, Ill., Dec. 8, 1946, the son of Arnold and Patricia Johnson Fossum. William was married to Ellen Bothamly Oct. 16, 1993 at their home.

He graduated cum laude from the University of Michigan in 1969, with a degree in naval architecture and marine engineering and had worked for more than 35 years as a naval architect for General Dynamics at the Quincy Shipyard in Massachusetts, the Quonset Point Facility in Rhode Island, and Electric Boat Company in Groton.

A "walking encyclopedia," Bill was extremely knowledgeable about all things - particularly history and fine art - and was committed to preserving local history, serving for many years as the chairman of the Historic District Commission for the Town of Ledyard and devoting many years of service to the Ledyard Historical Society. He was an avid woodworker and worked for more than 50 years to restore his cape-style home that was built by Lieutenant Joseph Lewis in 1765.

Besides his wife Ellen, he is survived by his daughter, Kristen Fossum (Michael) of Northampton, Mass.; his stepson Jason Morrill (Sheri) of Woodbridge, his former spouse Rose Krumm-Fossum of Norwich; his brothers, John of Bigfork, Minn., and Gerald of Sarasota, Fla.; his sisters, Margery Stembel of Silver Spring, Md., and Marilyn Weih, of Mountain View, Ark.; and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his sister Gail Fossum.

Visiting hours will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25, at the Byles-Groton Memorial Home, 310 Thames Street. Private Interment will be in Avery Stoddard Cemetery, Ledyard. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Avalonia Land Conservancy, Inc. at PO Box 49, Old Mystic, CT 06372 or online at avalonia.org/donate/. Please visit www.byles.com to sign the guestbook or share a memory with the family.