Published October 25, 2019
CAPE ELIZABETH, Maine — William C. Holmes, 77, known as “Bill” to friends and family, a resident of Cape Elizabeth, Maine passed away peacefully at Edgewood Centre in Portsmouth, N.H. on Monday, October 14, 2019.
Bill was born in Boston on February 22, 1942, the middle child of five children of the late John L. Holmes and Ruth B. (Mackay) Holmes. He was a dear brother of Pamela Fennessy and her husband Jim of Toronto, Barbara McDermott and her husband Ray Watts of Melrose, the late John Holmes, and the late Shirley Anastas and her surviving husband Andy of Peabody. He was the beloved husband of Ginette Desmarais of Cape Elizabeth, and former husband of June Holmes of Cape Elizabeth, Maine, and Mary Holmes of Amesbury, Mass. He was a devoted father of William C. Holmes and friend Lisa Barnstein of Mattapoisett, Christopher B. Holmes and his wife Danielle of Amesbury, and Emily J. Holmes of Cape Elizabeth and dear stepfather to Etienne Boisjoly of Montreal, Genevieve Boisjoly of Australia, and Jacob Cox of Cape Elizabeth. He loved his grandchildren Collum, Estella, Mitchell, Morgan, Sinjon, Tohrin, and Tristan, as well as many nieces and nephews.
Raised and educated in Brighton, Bill displayed a mature, inquisitive mind from an early age. He developed a special affinity and lifelong interest in motor racing while building a race car at age 13. At 16, Bill was ready to enlist in the Armed Forces, serving in the United Stated Air Force following the Korean War. He was honorably discharged on August 1, 1960, and began working as a welder, soon earning a position as an engineer following his technical education in the Air Force.
Bill enjoyed his work tremendously, confident he could solve any problem. This enthusiasm carried through to his personal life designing and building his family home. He worked in managerial capacities for technical businesses around Boston, eventually leading him to purchase an established business in Melrose, Emerson Apparatus, Inc., which manufactured testing equipment. With his mechanical background and experience managing similar companies, Bill found business success through responsible hard work, and superior engineering.
While Bill had many fond memories of Boston, he was drawn to the natural landscape and waters of the Maine coast. He found great joy in hosting generations of family to his home in Harpswell for great food, family fun, and a water view. An ocean lover, Bill also enjoyed sailing the islands of Southern Maine sharing the experience with friends and family. He even move his business to Maine.
Bill loved to travel. He cherished his trips with his sisters, friends, and his boys throughout the years, most recently, going to the Formula 1 races with his sons in Montreal.
Bill was a family man who worked hard to do the right thing and treat other people with fairness and respect. Deeply devoted to his parents, and close to his siblings, Bill served as a source of great strength and support for his family. His children admired Bill’s ability to find the good in people. Most of all, Bill’s greatest joy in life was making other people happy. He will be deeply missed, but always remembered as a very kind, considerate man who treated people from all walks of life with equal respect and kindness.
Relatives and friends gathered in honor of Bill’s life during visiting hours at the Robinson Funeral Home, 809 Main St., Melrose on Friday, Oct. 18 and for his funeral service on Saturday. Interment at Puritan Lawn Memorial Park, Peabody. Gifts in memory of Bill may be made to the Paralyzed Veterans of America, 801 18th St. NW, Washington DC 20006. For online tribute or directions: RobinsonFuneralHome.com.
