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William W. Bernhart

William “Bill” W. Bernhart, 94, died peacefully at home on Jan. 5, 2024 in Chester. For 64 years, Bill was the beloved husband of the late Elizabeth (Tanner) Bernhart. He was born in Winchester on July 22, 1929. Bill was the son of the late William M. and Elizabeth W. Bernhart.

The family moved to West Hartford in 1939. He attended the Loomis School (1947) and Yale University (1951). During the Korean War, Bill served as an officer in the U.S. Navy. He then attended Cornell Graduate School (1954 M.E.) before returning to Connecticut to begin a 32-year career with Pratt & Whitney Aircraft in East Hartford. During that time, Bill received an advanced degree from RPI and was a Connecticut Registered Professional Engineer. He retired in 1986 as vice president of manufacturing services for Pratt & Whitney Aircraft.

During his early retirement, Bill and his wife, Betty, moved to East Orleans, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod, where he designed and built their waterfront home. He enjoyed tennis and, most of all, captaining his boats, Osprey and Jubilee. He was a very accomplished bird carver and woodworker, often donating his works, including a canoe and grandfather clock, to charity. After 16 years, they moved to Old Saybrook to be closer to family. There, he was a member of the North Cove Yacht Club and the Old Saybrook Rotary Club and served on the board of the HOPE project. He continued to pursue his love of the water, often boating down the Intracoastal Waterway to Florida. In 2010, they moved to Chester Village West in Chester, where he was very active, including working as a member of the resident finance board. He made a great impact within this community with his warm smile, curious mind, sharp bridge skills, and often acting as a mentor to other residents right up to his final days! Bill’s greatest achievement there, at the age of 80, was designing and helping to build a long wooden footbridge on the property. He often referred to his community, now Masonicare Chester Village, as an “assisted living country inn” with caring staff, excellent nursing, and a wonderful group of people!

His children survive him, William T. (Janet) Bernhart of Chester, Lawrence W. (Juliet) Bernhart of Tolland, and Susan Bernhart Scott of Bluffton, South Carolina; also, his grandchildren: Michael (Christina) Bernhart of Glastonbury, Christopher (Farrah) Scott of West Palm Beach, Florida, Elizabeth (Tom) Hall of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, Nathaniel (Rachel) Bernhart of John’s Island, South Carolina, and Alida Bernhart of Arden, North Carolina. He had five great-grandchildren: Ryan and Christopher Bernhart of Glastonbury, Wilder Scott of West Palm Beach, Luke Hall of Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, and Lorenzo Bernhart of John’s Island, South Carolina.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 10, at Masonicare Chester Village, 317 West Main Street, Chester. Burial will be private. Instead of flowers, donations can be made to Chester Village West Foundation, 317 W. Main Street, Chester, CT 06412.