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William Henry Bietz

William Henry “Bill” Bietz, age 58, of Branford, passed away peacefully at his home on Dec. 18. He was the devoted husband of more than 24 years to his wife Jane (Stoddard), and a wonderful father to their two children, Spencer and Allie.

Bill grew up in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, with his mother, the late Barbara Joyce Bietz; and his two brothers, Chris and Tom Bietz. In addition to his wife, children and brothers, Bill is also survived by his nephews, C.J., Brock, and Brandon Bietz of Brookville, Pennsylvania.

Bill graduated from Punxsutawney Area High School in 1984, and immediately joined the U.S. Navy. He served for six years, with most of that time being on an aircraft carrier, the USS Lexington. Bill was always grateful for his time in the Navy and was honored to serve his country. Bill married Jane in 1998, and was a devoted family man right from the start. Bill treated Jane’s family as if they were his own, and constantly put the needs of all his family members before his own.

Bill was an IT manager at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, where he worked for more than 22 years and was well liked by all who knew him. He loved a challenge and was very good at what he did. Bill would often bring home broken computers to fix for friends, always with a smile and no expectation of anything in return. Bill was an avid fan of the Seattle Seahawks, the Pittsburgh Penguins and UConn women’s basketball, but he loved all kinds of sports. He especially loved to see his children play and was involved in their sports in many ways, including volunteer coaching and acting as team photographer. Bill also loved music, his dogs, and playing guitar. Above all, Bill had a warm and generous spirit and an amazing outlook on life, even through the hardships. He will be deeply missed by his family and friends.

Visiting hours will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday evening, Dec. 21, at the W. S. Clancy Memorial Funeral Home, 244 North Main Street, Branford. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday morning, Dec. 22, at Stony Creek Congregational Church, 192 Thimble Island Road, Branford, with burial to follow in Branford Center Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Daniel Cosgrove Animal Shelter in Branford.