William J. Giarrusso

Giarrusso, William J., of Hingham, passed on at the age of 82, on July 5, 2016. 

Son of the late Eleanor and Pasquale Giarrusso of Revere, MA, he is survived by his wife Patricia Brice Giarrusso who stood by his side as his dedicated caregiver during a lengthy fifteen year battle with Parkinsons Disease.  He is also survived by his older brother Vincent Giarrusso and wife Janet of Marblehead, MA and former wife Suzanne FitzGerald of Bar Harbor, ME.  

Bill was a 1951 graduate of Revere High School where he was a three sport letter winner in football, hockey and baseball and senior captain.  He then graduated from Storm King School in 1953 .  He attended the University of Massachusetts at Amherst where he played football and was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity before enlisting in the United States Army during the Korean War.

Bill was the long time owner and operator of the Bowl & Board, the home furnishings stores he founded in 1966 and originally located in Hingham, Harvard Square, and Martha’s Vineyard.  Prior to the Bowl and Board, he owned and operated the Dairy Queen in Quincy as well as the adjacent Chuck Wagon restaurant serving the then bustling Fore River Shipyard.  Bill was extremely dedicated to the Town of Hingham, giving generously with his time and money.  He helped form the Hingham Merchant’s Association and was on the committee that founded Hingham’s annual Christmas In the Square.  He was the founder and former President of the Hingham Lacrosse Boosters Association, and member of the Hingham Hockey Boosters.  He was a Hingham youth hockey, youth football and youth baseball coach for decades. 

Bill remained a passionate athlete throughout his life, participating year round in activities with his numerous friends.  He was a member of the Hingham Harbor sunfish sailing club, played Hingham adult softball, was an excellent downhill and cross country skier and played hockey well into his mid ‘60s.  An avid biker, he was one of the original founders of the Hingham bike club that still meets for early morning rides each weekend morning.  He and his “bike crew” logged over twenty bike trips between 1983 and 2002 throughout the US and the world, averaging 700-900 miles a week.  The camaraderie and challenges experienced during these trips were a highlight of his life!  A great teammate of many, family however always came first.

He raised 7 kids in Hingham.  He is survived by his son Roy and his wife Kristen of Hingham, Julie Veilleux and her husband Greg of Bar Harbor, ME, Mark of Hingham, Maria Metters of Vineyard Haven, MA, Tom of San Francisco, CA, Dave and his wife Suzanne of Verona, NJ. and Brandi Pollock and her husband Tim of Los Angeles, CA.  He is also survived by 14 grandchildren of which he was extremely proud.

He was most recently a resident of Sunrise Assisted Living in Cohasset, MA where he received the loving care that he needed.  His family would like to thank the staff of Sunrise for the love that they continuously showed Bill.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend the visiting hours on Thursday 4-8 PM in the Pyne Keohane Funeral Home, 21 Emerald St. (off Central St.), HINGHAM. A Celebration of Life Service will be held in the funeral home at 9:15 AM on Friday prior to the Funeral Mass in St. Paul’s Church, Hingham at 10 AM.  Burial in Mt. Wollaston Cemetery, Quincy. 

Donations may be made to The New England Parkinsons Ride, PO Box 1124, Merrimack, NH 03054 or neparkinsonsride.com; please reference Team “ParkinSONS AND DAUGHTERS OF BILL GIARRUSSO”.