William Joseph Gilchrist

William Joseph Gilchrist

Beloved Father, Grandfather, and Brother, 90

Mr. William Joseph Gilchrist, 90, of Bloomfield, NJ, passed away on Saturday, June 12, 2021 at his home surrounded by his loving family.  Visitation will be at the Biondi Funeral Home of Nutley, 540 Franklin Avenue on Friday, June 18 from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.  The funeral will be conducted on Saturday, June 19 at 8:15 a.m.  There will be a funeral mass celebrated at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 60 Byrd Avenue, Bloomfield at 9:30 a.m.  The interment will be at St. Peter’s Cemetery, Belleville.

Bill was born in Belleville, NJ, one of six children.  He proudly served in the U.S. Army as an assistant to the Chaplain.  In 1960 he graduated from the McAllister School of Embalming, Cum Laude, and continued to practice as a funeral director for over 60 years.  He was a funeral director with Van Tassel Funeral Home, Bloomfield, and Service Corporation International (SCI).  He later worked for the Biondi Funeral Home of Nutley for over 20 years, working until March, 2021.

In 1961 he married the love of his life Mary Lou.  They settled in Bloomfield in 1961 where they raised their seven children, and were blessed with fifteen grandchildren.

One of Bill’s great joys in life was cycling.  An avid cyclist his entire life and member of the Nutley Bike Club, he could always be seen on his bike, riding to work, physically riding to his shore house in Barnegat Light, or even touring Ireland.   As a musician, he loved the trumpet and playing the fife for The New Jersey Field Music Fife and Drum Corp.  He regularly marched in many parades in the tri-state area, including St. Patrick’s Day Parades in West Orange, Newark and New York City.   

A man of faith, his greatest accomplishment was the example he has set for his children and grandchildren.  He was the first Eucharistic Minister at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Bloomfield, and a fixture at the daily mass for decades, always trusting in the Lord and keeping the faith. 

He is survived by his beloved children Michael and his wife Lisa, Mary Beth,  William Jr. and his wife Aries, Maureen and her husband Tony, Timothy and his wife Jennifer, Patrick, and Colleen and her husband Ken; his  cherished grandchildren Christopher, Matthew, T.J, Ryan, Bryan, Kara, Timmy, Robert, Alyssa, Christa, Andrew, Kevin, Patrick, John Paul and Maddie; and his loving  sisters Irene and Carol.  

He is predeceased by his beloved wife of 55 years Mary Lou Gilchrist (2015), and his brothers John, Tom and Joe.   

He will be missed by his nieces, nephews and many friends whom he held so dear.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Bill’s memory may be made to Catholic Medical Mission Board Inc., https://cmmb.org/ 

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