William A. O'Rourke

Bill was born in New York, NY on April 1, 1928, to William A. and Mabel Rappelyea O’Rourke. He attended school in New York, and in 1946 enlisted in the U.S. Army serving in Korea as a medic. Upon discharge, he returned to New York, working for the U.S. Postal Service and the Singer Sewing Machine Co. He decided to pursue a career in the military, and enlisted as a fulltime technician with the New York National Guard. In 1955, Bill transferred to the CT Army National Guard (CTARNG), serving with Battery B, 963rd Field Artillery in Danbury during the Great Flood of that year. He continued to serve, on Nike Missile Sites in Portland, CT, the 208th Anti-Aircraft Artillery (later the 208th Engineers Group, Headquarters) in New Haven and lastly with the 2nd Battalion 102nd Infantry in Waterbury, where he served as Command Sergeant Major until retirement.

Bill also spent time as a Special Duty Police Officer in Danbury. After retiring from the CTARNG, he worked with his wife for the food service program in the Danbury School system. Other interests included working with the Boy Scouts of America as a chairman of Troop 24. He lived a lifetime of enjoyment traveling in his camper, visiting with relatives and seeing all 50 states.

Bill is survived by his children: William A. O’Rourke III (Jill) of New Milford; Catherine E. O’Rourke of Hancock, VT; Beryl A. Gribbin (Timothy) of New Milford; and Thomas F. O’Rourke (Dana) of Danbury. He is also survived by nine grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 am on Saturday, January 30th in Saint Peter Church, Danbury. Attendees will be required to register at the time of arrival to the church, and wear face masks. Burial with military honors will follow at Saint Peter Cemetery, Danbury.

Donations in William A. O’Rourke’s memory may be made to Wounded Warrior Project or CT National Guard Foundation.