Obituary: William 'Bill' Dold Jr., Decorated World War II Army Veteran

(Gillooly Funeral Home)

William "Bill" Dold, Jr., of Norwood, 96, a retired professional engineer and a decorated World War II Army Veteran died on Jan. 23, 2014.

Born in Boston on April 15, 1917, he had resided in Norwood since 1955, he was the son of the late Emma (Schriftgiesser) and William Dold, Sr. Bill retired as a mechanical engineer from Stone & Webster Engineering Corporation in April of 1982. He graduated from Mechanics Art School in 1934.

In 1941, he graduated from Lowell Institute of Technology. Shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Bill joined the U.S. Army and was commissioned from Engineer Officer Candidate School in 1942.

On Sept. 9, 1943, he took part in the Allied Invasion of Italy at Salerno as a member of the 36th Infantry (Texas) Division, 111th Engineer Combat Battalion, Company "A." Bill was awarded the Silver Star for bravery in action during the costly Rapido River crossing in January of 1944.

After World War II ended, he joined the Massachusetts National Guard and served as a state engineer on the staff of the adjutant general, and eventually retired as a Lieutenant Colonel.

The devoted patriarch of his family, he was the beloved husband of 60 years of the late Barbara A. (Parrish) Dold, and the loving father of Karen and her husband, David Duffy of Allendale, NJ, Gail and her husband G. James Nixon, Jr., of E. Walpole, Neil Dold and his wife Mary Jane of N. Attleboro, Kevin Dold and his wife Marjorie of Walpole, Janet and her husband Thomas Novak of Stuart, FL, Christopher Dold of Plymouth and the late William D. and Kurt A. Dold; the dear brother of the late Eleanor Ridlon, Anna Freeman, Albert Dold, Emma Murray, and Henrietta "Dolly" Gil; the cherished grandfather of 22 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren, three great-great grandchildren and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Funeral Services will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 28,  at 9 a.m. from the Gillooly Funeral Home, 126 Walpole Street (Rte. 1A), Norwood, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. at St. Timothy Church, 650 Nichols St., Norwood. Interment will follow in Highland Cemetery, Norwood. Relatives and friends are invited and may call on Monday, Jan. 27, from 4-8 p.m. at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in memory of William Dold, Jr. may be made to St. Timothy Church, Building Fund, 650 Nichols St., Norwood, MA 02062.