William Dooley

Bill was born on May 4, 1943, at St. Margaret’s Hospital in Boston, the fifth of seven children of John Stephen Dooley and Anna Bridget (Culhane) Dooley. His arrival was often described as a special birthday gift to his older sister Cathy, with whom he shared a May 4 birthday.

Bill leaves behind his dearly loved wife of 55 years, Martha (McFarland) Dooley, and their two sons: William James Dooley of Londonderry, New Hampshire, and his partner, Olivia Dan; and Jonathan “Jon” McFarland Dooley and his wife, Elizabeth “Betsy” Dooley, of Grafton, Massachusetts. He is also survived by his five treasured grandchildren, Clara, James, Samuel, Roger, and Harper Dooley, who brought him tremendous joy. He treasured every moment he spent with them.

He is survived by his siblings John Joseph Dooley, Margaret Mary Hoey, and Janefrances Mary Zailskas, and was predeceased by his sisters Anna Mary Stewart (2004) and Catherine Mary Thayer (2001) and his brother James Joseph Dooley (2011). He is also survived by 21 beloved nieces and nephews.

He grew up in the Codman Square neighborhood of Dorchester and graduated from Dorchester High School. Those early years helped shape the toughness, humor, strong work ethic, and deep loyalty to family and friends that remained with him throughout his life. Bill was a proud Irish Catholic, and his faith remained central to his life.

After their marriage, Bill and Martha settled in Hanover, where they raised their two boys and made their home for 54 years.

A carpenter by trade and by nature, Bill was a proud member of Carpenters Local 33 for most of his career. He helped to construct some of Boston’s most recognizable landmarks, including the John Hancock Tower, Rowes Wharf, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, and the Big Dig.

Years of demanding physical work left Bill with distinctly large and powerful hands. They were the hands of a builder: strong, weathered, and rarely still. With them, he helped shape the Boston skyline, built a home for his family, and created countless pieces meant to endure.

Bill and Martha’s Hanover home carried his fingerprints everywhere, most notably in the large addition he designed and built himself. It featured a distinctive triangular window, exposed wooden beams, custom molding, and a handcrafted fireplace. Whenever Bill added his own special detail to something, he liked to describe it simply as “custom, custom.” The expression perfectly captured his approach: if something was worth building, it was worth making uniquely his own.

Being a carpenter was not without its hazards, and Bill accumulated more than his share of trips to the emergency room over the years. There were encounters with nail guns, table saws that, as he would say, “bit him,” and more than a few bumps to the head. Whatever happened, Bill generally accepted it with his familiar calm demeanor, a knowing smile, and very little fuss.

Bill almost always drove a truck, and unlike many truck owners, he used it for exactly what it was built to do. It carried tools to early-morning jobs, building materials for countless projects, and a plow during New England winters. Hard work was not simply something Bill did; it was part of who he was.

Later in life, Bill discovered a new passion for woodturning. What began as another way to work with his hands became one of the great joys of his retirement. He created beautiful wooden bowls and other sculptural pieces, often bearing his distinctive personal touches. His enthusiasm grew so much that he maintained a woodturning setup at his winter residence in Sarasota, Florida. He was a proud member of both the Sarasota Woodturners Club and the South Shore Woodturners, where he developed friendships that became some of the most meaningful of his later years.

Bill was a natural jokester with a warm sense of humor. He was never shy and would talk to anyone, anywhere, at any time, sometimes to the eye-rolling chagrin of his family. Whether speaking with an old friend or someone he had met only moments earlier, Bill could strike up a conversation and make a connection. He had an easy way with people and was genuinely interested in the lives and stories of others.

Of everything Bill built, he was proudest of his family. He was a devoted husband to Martha, a proud father to William and Jon, and a loving grandfather. He passed along lessons that stayed with his sons: work hard, enjoy being young while you are young, and remember that you only get one body. He reinforced that last lesson by telling the story of the teeth he lost during a rock fight as a boy, humorously removing his retainer to reveal the missing teeth beneath.

Bill was a builder in every sense of the word. He helped build some of Boston’s landmark structures. He built a family home with his own two hands. He built friendships that lasted for decades. Most importantly, he built a life filled with family, loyalty, humor, craftsmanship, and love.

Those who knew Bill will remember his quiet confidence, his toughness, his powerful hands, his sense of humor, his willingness to talk with absolutely anyone, and the unmistakable personal touch he brought to nearly everything he created.

In the truest sense, Bill’s life was “custom, custom”: entirely his own and made to last.

Visiting hours will be held on Sunday, October 11, 2026, from 4 to 7 PM at Sullivan Funeral Homes, 551 Washington Street (Route 53), Hanover. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday, October 12, 2026, at 11 AM at St. Mary of the Nativity Church, 1 Kent Street, Scituate. A private burial will take place at a later date. All who knew and loved Bill are warmly welcome to join his family in celebrating his life.

In lieu of flowers, Bill’s family asks that you honor his memory by performing an act of kindness for someone else. When you do, simply think to yourself, “This is from Bill Dooley.”