Plan for the Future
William W. Fagnant, 76, of Chatham, NJ, passed away on September 22, 2024. A Funeral Mass at St. Patrick Church, 85 Washington Ave. in Chatham will be celebrated on October 2nd at 10:30am. Interment is private. Visiting hours at Wm. A. Bradley & Son Funeral Home, 345 Main St. also in Chatham will be on October 1st from 4 to 7:00PM.
Born in Riverside, CA, the son of Ward and Denise (Bourque) Fagnant, Bill was raised in China Lake, CA where he graduated from Burroughs High School in 1966. He had lived in Chatham since 1982. Bill received his bachelor’s degree in physics from what is now Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. He was commissioned as an officer in the Air Force in 1970 and served as a pilot flying both O-2 observation planes in Korea and KC-135 refueling tankers. During this time, he also earned his master’s degree in System’s Management from the University of Southern California. Bill began his career at Nabisco in Oakland, CA in 1976, and held several management positions. In 2001, he joined GAF Materials Corp. in Wayne, NJ, leading their project engineering team. He retired in 2007. After retirement, Bill pursued his lifelong passion of making handcrafted custom period furniture by starting his own business, Chatham Workshop, LLC. He was an active parishioner at St. Patrick’s where he served as a Eucharistic Minister to the sick and went on multiple service trips building homes in Appalachia. Additionally, he volunteered with the Community FoodBank, was an active volunteer with the Boy Scouts in Troop 8, and a founding member of the Chatham Area Artisans Guild. Bill enjoyed spending time in the outdoors particularly, fishing, hunting and backpacking with his sons and friends, and watching Yankee games with his family.
Bill & Maureen Taylor wed in June 1970 and were together for over 54 years. He was the loving father of William and Roger. He is also survived by Roger’s wife Virginia and cherished grandson, Matthew. In addition, by his siblings, Barbara Wehan and husband James, Richard Fagnant and wife Debbie, Peter Fagnant and wife Cathy and sister-in-law Donna Fagnant and predeceased brother James Fagnant as well as many nieces, nephews, and extended family members.
In lieu of flowers – the family would suggest donations to his favorite charities Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center or the Community FoodBank in Hillside, NJ.
