Billy was such a kind soul. We worked together for many years at a Camp for Mental disabilities.  Through the years we lost touch. But when my son was trying to apply to Kingsborough high school Billy helped us out a great deal. Again we lost contact but recently I spoke with another camp counselor and I thought of Billy. I was trying to locate him and came across his passing. God rest your soul Billy. You have a special place in heaven for all your good deeds.

So very saddened to learn belatedly of the passing of Bill Katz.  We “shared” a cousin…………in fact, we shared three cousins: Marian (previously mentioned above by Bill’s brother, Charles); Helen, her sister who died in a tragic vehicular accident on June 23, 1956, nearly 13 months to the day before Marian’s death on July 22, 1957; and their sister Merri, born about four years after Marian and Helen were gone.  (My father’s brother was the Uncle Jay and Bill’s father’s sister was the Aunt Billie referred to by Charles Katz.)

My memories of Bill go back to a time when we were both still “kids”, spending summers in Harbor Heights Park in Huntington, LI.  Often, of a morning, Bill would come down the hill from his parents’ house on Recreation Avenue, stop in to say “hi” and occasionally join us for some breakfast.  There, he would regale us with stories which were usually quite humorous and occasionally self-deprecating.  Some would include tales of his brother’s latest “Nikola-Tesla-like” experiment conducted in their garage “up the hill” from our house.

In later years I would learn from Bill of his brother’s genius at school in Princeton, his studies in physics there leading to a PhD and much later, snippets about Charles’s clandestine missions on behalf of the DoD. 

Unfortunately, I did not see him often in his later years but on those occasions when I did, it was always a pleasure to get together and recount memories of earlier times when we were both still young. 


My brother Dr. Saul William Katz:

I am Charles Noel Katz, Bill’s younger brother – I knew Bill longer than anyone else at this ceremony.
He was the last person who knew me my entire life.
He suffered much as a highly allergic child in an era of primitive medical alleviation.
My brother would have done, and did do, almost anything for me – he idolized me. I held him in great esteem. Particularly as a child, I looked up to my “big” brother in every respect. He was kind, generous, solicitous and compassionate.
I wish to present a brief and entirely incomplete list of his good works – works that ought to serve him well in his future journey to peace in the bosom of the Lord:

           He was a big brother to his cousin Marian G. Rosenberg who died of leukemia in 1958 – he spent time with her every day of her last months, despite the challenges he faced academically in his junior year at high school.
          From the time he was about 6 years old (in 1947) until the death of uncle Jay in 1981, he was a surrogate son to his uncle Jay, Dr. Jacob Rosenberg, and to his aunt Frances also known as aunt Billie. Uncle Jay and aunt Billie were surrogate parents to him. He did every backbreaking, heartbreaking, and at times menial, chore and accommodated every request they made of him from driving uncle Jay on endless house-calls, to moving their furniture from room to room and from floor to floor, to burying their deceased pet dogs.
          Despite her condescending treatment of Bill as a child, he served as a surrogate brother to our cousin Carol Eisen Rinzler – three weeks his junior -- in the last few difficult years of her life. She died young in 1990; he held no grudge.
          He provided employment for cousin Sonny Adelman in Sonny’s old age and declining health.
          He served as a surrogate son to his boss Dr. Flanagan and to Dr. Flanagan’s wife (they were a childless couple) as Dr. Flanagan passed this mortal coil, a victim of cancer.


Billy Katz burst into my life a mere 15 years ago.  What a gift!  A raconteur, a gentleman, a riot, fearless, loving and kind to all. I have and will never again meet anyone like him. He embraced the world, his wife, his family and his friends , encircling us with his love. My only regret - not enough time to celebrate his life with him. I send my deepest sympathy to his magnificent wife and family. 

Penny J Dollard
New York,  NY

I was deeply saddened at the news of Billy's passing.  He was a person who went out of his way to help anyone who needed a hand.  He had the gift of gab which enabled him to accomplish any goal he was intent on achieving.  He was a great listener and had a way of making you feel you were  important.  He would dress up in costume at many KCC events.  He was the tallest elf I ever saw and the grass skirt at the Seaside Splash will always be remembered by all.  He once showed me the closet in his office, just before he announced his retirement, with the variety of his get ups.   He is someone who will be remembered by many. One of a kind for sure. My condolences to his family.

I worked with Billy for 32 years, we had a special relationship. I got away with a lot of stuff but would do anything for him.  He actually dictated his dissertation when he found out I took sten. Our last days together were cleaning out his closet in T4 because he trusted me with anything we found. There are so many memories.  Billy as an elf for our T2 Christmas party singing The 12 Days of Christmas is a classic. 
I will truly miss him and think of him often and fondly.

I'm so sorry to hear of Billy's passing.  Billy was one of a kind.  Whatever Billy could do for someone, he eagerly did.  He helped so many people who will forever be in his debt.  Sending my condolences to his family, with fond memories.  May his memory be a blessing.
Gila Rohr

I first met Billy when I walked into Social Studies class in the 7th grade.  While the instructional piece of his class was often a snooze-fest he had this quirky habit of shaking things up. If you weren't paying attention he would come to your desk, pick up whatever you were focusing on (book, pack of gum, doodle, etc.), walk to the window without a word, and fling it out.  This went on for the entire year and so at the end of the year we presented him with all the things we retrieved from outside of the window.  Fourteen years later I walked in to a job interview only to realize he was the Dean of my department. He had the most amazing memory and the gift of gab, but the thing I will remember most is he was extremely fair. He treated everyone with the same amount of respect. As well as a boss I considered him a friend and a mentor. He will live on in the many tales I have to tell. Rest in peace Billy!


So sorry for the loss of Billy Katz.  I had the pleasure and honor of working for him for several years at Kingsborough Community College.  He was a mentor, an innovator and one that taught me the ropes of higher education.  He also was one of the most sweet and charming men I have had the pleasure of knowing.  
Rest in peace and comfort and prayers to his family. 
Christine

OBITUARY

Saul William Katz

25 August, 1941 – 19 August, 2018

Oak Hill Funeral Home & Memorial Park

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