William Gerard Griffon

William Gerard Griffon Jr., of Carmel, California, passed away on August 21, 2025, at the age of 81. Bill was a devoted and beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, cousin, loyal friend, military veteran, firefighter, and proud Irish New Yorker.

Bill was born on August 14, 1944, to Catherine and William Griffon Sr. in Brooklyn, New York. He was raised in the Park Slope neighborhood and attended Holy Name of Jesus Catholic School. Young Billy spent his childhood playing basketball in the schoolyard and was known for his practical jokes on family and friends.

In 1964, Bill met Kathleen McCauley, the love of his life, at a Knights of Columbus dance. They married June 25, 1966, and spent the next 59 years truly devoted to each other, their Catholic faith, and their family. His life was blessed with three children, William G. Griffon III (Carolyn), Jennifer Gordon (Mike), and Kristen Marcozzi (Santino). Additionally, he was a proud grandfather to 11 grandchildren (including 2 sets of twins): Taylor, Erin, Alexander, Matthew, Nicholas, Catherine, Mia, Benjamin, William IV, Andrew, and Brendan. Bill was also a soon to be great-grandfather.

Bill was the consummate patriot and proud veteran. After graduating high school, he served in the United States Marine Corps. Following in the footsteps of his father, he became one of “New York’s Bravest,” an FDNY firefighter. While in the FDNY, he earned his Bachelor of Science in Nursing while serving in the U.S. Army Reserves. After 20 years of service, Bill retired from the FDNY.

In 1982, Bill had the opportunity to serve on active duty in the U.S. Army, stationed at Fort Ord, California. He and Kathleen moved their family across the country from Carmel, New York to Carmel, California. Bill served as Chief Nurse of the Troop Medical Clinic for the 7th Infantry Division Light. His final year of active duty was as Chief Nurse at Silas B. Hayes Army Hospital, as Fort Ord was closing. After retiring as a Major in the Army, Bill entered the private sector to be the Vice President of Central Coast VNA & Hospice in Monterey, California.

Bill had an incredible passion for travel. As avid travelers Kathy and Bill visited nearly 70 countries, and he was planning the next out-of-country adventure up until his last day.

He was a self-taught expert in everything he did. Bill was sharp and keenly interested in politics, finance, world history, family history, and like his father, had a lifelong thirst for knowledge. He was the go-to guy for advice for his children, grandchildren, and many others. Bill was a do-it-yourself man, and he if did hire someone for a project, he was right beside them helping with the job, ensuring it was done to his liking. His gift for story telling is something everyone will miss, as most of his stories included New York and what a lucky guy he was. As his own father used to say of him, “If you fell out of a window, you would fall up!”

Bill’s devout Catholic faith shaped how he lived his life, and he attended Mass with his wife at Carmel Mission every Saturday evening, always sitting in the same pew. More than anything, his love for his wife and family shaped his life and his legacy.

Survivors include his devoted wife; his three children; and his 11 grandchildren, who affectionately called him Pop. He also leaves behind his sister, Mary Brown; his nephew, Robert Brown; his niece, Catherine Henneforth; along with cousins and lifelong friends who will miss him deeply.

Visitation will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, September 8, 2025, at Carmel Mission Basilica, 3080 Rio Road, Carmel, California 93923. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:00am, immediately following the visitation. At Bill’s request, in lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, https://t2t.org/footsteps-to-the-future-endowment/ways-to-give/