William E. Mathias II

William E. Mathias II (1945-2025) passed peacefully on November 29 in Buffalo, NY. “Bill” professionally and “Willy” to many of his close friends, he was born in Buffalo on April 17, 1945. He attended the Campus School and graduated from Nichols in 1963. A life-long athlete, he played soccer, squash, and tennis at Nichols. He left Buffalo only to attend the University of Pennsylvania, where he met his wife of 58 years, Jane, and received his undergraduate degree from the Wharton School. After college, he served in the United States Army Reserve and earned his law degree from the University of Buffalo in 1971.

Bill spent more than four decades practicing law. He focused on corporate transactions, combining his law training with the passion for business he developed at Wharton. He started at Jaeckle Fleischmann & Mugel and became the firm’s youngest managing partner. In 1983, he moved on to a smaller firm of 8 lawyers. Lippes Mathias now has over 200 lawyers spread across 17 offices, and Bill was a key driver of the firm’s growth. He served as the firm’s managing partner for more than 20 years and was renowned for both his wise counsel and his commitment to the firm’s junior lawyers and professional staff. He remained with the firm until his retirement in 2018. He also served on the boards of Elmwood Franklin and Nichols, on UB Law’s Dean Advisory Council, as the chair of the Law School’s Annual Fund, and as counsel to the board of Independent Health.

Throughout his life, Bill had a large and deeply-dedicated group of friends. He was valued for his quick laugh, his easy manner, and his warmth. Many of those friendships dated back to high school (or earlier), and he treasured the regular gatherings in Buffalo and around the country with members of “The Class of ’63.” He was an avid tennis player and runner; golf became his focus later in life. Regular matches and tee times were staples for him, and he served as president of both the Buffalo Tennis & Squash Club and the Cherry Hill Club.

Finally, he was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather, known to some of his grandkids as “Willy Buffalo.” He endured raising three boys with patience and good humor, even when one son named a pet dog “Willy.” He is survived by his wife, Jane; his children Ted (Kirstin), Andrew (Tina), and Brian (Lucia); grandchildren Annika, Will, Ben, Chris, Louisa, Zach, EJ, and Emily; and his sister Polly Monsees (Ted O’Dell). He was preceded in death by his parents Ned Mathias and Jane Haggerty, his brother Ned (Sandy) and sister Cricket Martin (Peter).

Friends and family are gathering for a Celebration of Life on December 20th at the Buffalo Club at 11:30 am. Remembrances will start at 11:45 am with a reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages family and friends to consider making a memorial contribution in his name to the Alzheimer’s Disease Research (https://donate.brightfocus.org/adr/donate) or Hospice and Palliative Care of Buffalo (https://www.hospicebuffalo.com/give-get-involved/donate-now).