William P. Deegan, 90, of Saddle River, NJ, passed into eternal life on May 16, 2019. He was born in Brooklyn, NY on Christmas Eve, 1928, to Ellen (Greene) and John Deegan. Beloved husband of Patricia A. Deegan, his wife of 66 years. Devoted father of William Deegan Jr. (Janette), Nancy Deegan, Suzanne Clinton (John), John Deegan (Maura) and the late Kathleen Deegan. Dear brother of Patricia LaRosa and the late John Deegan. Loving grandfather of Alexandra, Andrew, Jacqueline, Gabrielle, Victoria, Aileen, James and Natalie. He is also survived by a niece and many nephews.
Bill’s father, a born New Yorker, died when Bill was 7 years old and his mother (the youngest of thirteen children) moved the family back to her native Ireland. They soon returned and settled again in Brooklyn, where Bill engaged in a variety of jobs while in elementary and high school in order to help the struggling but determined family meet their needs. Bill graduated high school at the age of 17 and entered the full time work force.
Starting as a messenger, he worked at the Wall Street firm L. F. Rothschild & Co. for 43 years, interrupted only by his service in the US Army during the Korean war. After returning home with an Honorable Discharge, he decided to forego his appointment to the New York City Police Dept. and continued his career at L. F. Rothschild. With hard work and using his intelligence and great personality, he rose up the ladder at the firm and made Partner.
Along the way he earned his Fordham University degree by attending night school, attaining membership in the National Honor Society, Beta Gamma Sigma. All of this while he and his wife Pat were raising small children.
Bill’s Wall Street career also included election as President of the Municipal Bond Club of New York and Chairman of the New York District of the Public Securities Association as well as active involvement with many other industry groups. His Catholic faith was central to Bill’s upbringing and adult life. He believed strongly in service and did so in his church. In 1959 Bill and Pat moved to New Jersey and joined the St. Andrew’s (Westwood) parish where Bill served on the church’s Finance Committee, the school’s Parent-Teacher committee, and was an active fundraiser and religious education teacher. After moving to Saddle River, Bill was an active member of St. Gabriel’s parish, where he was elected Grand Knight of the local Knights of Columbus chapter and also served as Eucharistic Minister. But Bill also believed in service to the wider community. He was a founding Trustee of the Westwood Swim Club, Chairman of the Westwood Planning Board, Chairman of the local American Cancer Society drive, and a fundraiser for Pascack Valley Hospital.
After retiring Bill kept up a brisk pace and volunteered delivering meals to the homebound for Meals on Wheels and as a member of the Saddle River Community Emergency Response Team. Bill and Pat traveled extensively and Bill delighted in meeting new people and learning about other cultures. He also enjoyed spending time at his vacation home in Vermont and playing tennis and golf. In his younger years Bill was also a runner and cross-country skier. Above all, he and Pat cherished their family and wide circle of friends. He was relentlessly positive in outlook and maintained his great sense of humor even when he had become seriously ill. And you didn’t have to be around him long before understanding his reputation as a people person, great story teller and spreader of good cheer.
The family will receive their relatives and friends at Becker Funeral Home, 219 Kinderkamack Road, Westwood, NJ on Monday, May 20 from 2-4 and 7-9PM. The Funeral Mass celebrating Bill’s life and faith will be held at St. Gabriel the Archangel R.C. Church, Saddle River, NJ on Tuesday, May 21 at 10AM. Interment will follow at St. Andrew’s Cemetery, River Vale, NJ. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Villa Marie Claire hospice www.villamarieclaire.com and The Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation www.pcrf-kids.org
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