William F. Edwards

HOLYOKE- William “Bill” Francis Edwards, 97, strong in his faith and fiercely independent, died on Tuesday, November 11, 2014. He was born on May 13, 1917 in New Haven, CT son of the late Harland and Marie (Bitzer) Edwards. Born blind, Bill learned to read Braille and became an entrepreneur selling office products in some of New York City’s largest office buildings. He was an accomplished dancer, winning several prizes for his talent and was a member of the United Society. In 1964, Bill married Rita (Kane) of Holyoke, MA and later predeceased him on March 21, 1988. He was also predeceased by two sisters, Jeanne Catalini and Virginia Krikorian and is survived by the family of Leo and Dorothy Hebert. He is also survived by his dear friends, Robert and Helene Grenier of South Hadley. Visiting hours will be held on Thursday morning, Nov., 13, 2014 from 9-10:15AM at Messier Funeral Home, 1944 Northampton St., Holyoke, MA 01040 (413-532-5491) and followed by a Liturgy of Christian Burial at 11AM in Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish. The Rite of Committal and Burial will be in St. Lawrence Cemetery, West Haven, CT at 3PM. Memorial donations in Bill’s name may be made to Jericho, 537 Northampton St., Holyoke, MA 01040. Please visit www.messierfuneralhome.com for more details.