William Spatrick

Spatrick, William died peacefully on Saturday, December 22 of complications from pneumonia. He is survived by his beloved wife of 62 years Florence (Margolskee) Spatrick. He will always be the cherished father of Susan Dinkin, her husband Richard, Phyllis Spatrick and her husband Chester Clarke; and Alan Spatrick and his wife Kaj Wilson and grandfather of Aaron, Joe and Gabrielle Dinkin and Diana Spatrick-Clarke.

Bill lived in Peabody all his 93 years and wouldn’t have had it any other way. He loved Peabody and his home at 14 Kosciusko Street where he was raised by his father Azriel, who owned a grocery store, and mother Raizel. His parents along with his sisters Frances and Anne, came over from Russia. Brother Arthur and Bill, the youngest, were born in the U.S. As a boy, Bill delivered groceries with his father in a horse-drawn wagon.

He graduated from Peabody High School. During WW II, Bill worked in administration in various camps in the U.S. and was also in the Barrage Balloon Unit, and an Infantry unit. Barrage balloons were used to defend against low flying aircraft. Civic-minded, he was active in the Jewish War Veterans after his military service, and in the later 1950’s was elected Commander of Post 220.

An extrovert with a thousand-watt smile, Bill enjoyed in his work as a salesman at Herman’s Boot Shop, a Peabody institution on Main Street. Later he took an administrative position as a civilian employee of the Army at several nearby bases while continuing to work at Herman’s on the weekends. In his 50s, Bill went back to school and obtained a college degree from Salem State.

A board member of Congregation Sons of Israel, Bill served for many years as “Gabbai”, or assistant leader of Sabbath services. He and Florence faithfully attended weekly services and for thirty-five years he could be found during High Holidays surrounded by his family in their reserved seats at the back of the shul. He was also a long-time Director and Secretary of the Maple Hill Cemetery Association.

After Bill retired, he continued to lead a rich and active life playing tennis, ballroom dancing with Florence, listening to Benny Goodman records, kvelling about his grandchildren, and traveling to relatives’ weddings and bar and bat mitzvahs. An avid reader, he was the only man in the Peabody Library Book Group. Naturally he was a Red Sox fan and watched Babe Ruth play for the Boston Braves.

Bill lived a good life. He had what they say it takes to be happy; a strong marriage; a close family, with his three children living nearby; friends; good health; community; and faith.