He was born on September 24, 1925 in Boston, Massachusetts to Roger and Margaret (Blakely) Tyler. He grew up in Newton and attended The Rivers School and Phillips Exeter
Academy (1943). He saw active duty in Europe during the Battle of the Bulge and returned to graduate from Harvard College (1947) and Boston University Law School (1951). He joined his father at the Boston law firm of Rackemann, Sawyer and Brewster in 1952, where he remained for over 60 years, working in real estate and then in trusts and estates. He always went the extra mile to meet the needs of his clients, visiting them in their homes, wherever they lived, and treating all with respect, kindness and generous attention.
Bill is survived by his wife, the love of his life and best friend, Anngenette "Anngie" Groton, whom he married in 1956, and by their five children, Anngenette Stanfield of Mystic CT, Maggie Tyler Rubenstein of Wayland, MA, Roger B. Tyler Il and William B. Tyler, Jr. of Essex, MA, and Susan Monahan of Ipswich, MA, as well as 12 grandchildren: Owen Stanfield, Samuel, Chloe and Emma Rubenstein, Blakely and Anna Tyler, Jamie, Erin, and Katie Monahan, and Jacob, Olivia and Nathaniel Tyler; and, two great-grandchildren.
Bill had a long, productive life of public service and gave generously of his time and energy to a great variety of non-profit organizations. He served as Chairman of the Volunteer Lawyers Project and as President of Greater Boston Legal Services. He was an active alumnus at Harvard University, Boston University Law School and served as a trustee at The Rivers School and at Camp Chewonki and the Chewonki Foundation in Maine where he spent many summers as a boy. He served as the Chairman of the Board of the Pioneer Institute for Public Research and continued in this role well into his eighties. Bill was a member of the Society of the Cincinnati in the State of New Hampshire, The Hamilton Club, The Country Club, The Union Club, and the 1255th Combat Engineer Battalion Association.
Bill took an active interest in the hospitals of Boston, serving on the governing boards of the Brigham and Women's Hospital, the Boston Hospital for Women and the New England Deaconess Hospital. He was also a trustee of various charitable foundations, including the Thomas Thompson Trust and the Ogden Codman Trust. Like his father before him, Bill loved Boston and sought to preserve and celebrate its rich history. For many years, he was the Chairman and Director of the Bostonian Society and during his later years worked on "The Boston Museum Project", an effort to bring a centralized Boston History Center and Museum to the city.
Bill was active to the very end of his life, known for his vigorous walks around Lasell Village and his visits to the fitness center. He was a lifelong learner, always asking questions, staying current in what was happening in the world around him and in the lives of his children and grandchildren. He often said he couldn't believe his good fortune to have been blessed with 19 wonderful descendants, all of whom he referred to as “stars.” Above all, he wanted them to understand the importance of public service. When asked why he had such a deep commitment to his pro bono work, he said, "I've always had the feeling that a person ought to put something back into society, particularly if that person is gathering as many benefits as I am.'
A memorial service will be held Friday, June 18 at 11:00 am, at First Parish Church, 349 Boston Post Road, Weston.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18