Obituary: William F. Holohan, Jr., Branford Chief of Police, Retired

Obituary courtesy of W. S. Clancy Memorial Funeral Home:

Branford Police Chief William F. Holohan, Jr., retired, of East Haven, formerly a 41-year resident of Branford died Sunday, December 17 at CT Hospice after a short illness. He was the husband of 56 years to the late Rachel Brooks Holohan.

He was born in New Haven on March 16, 1930, son of the late NHPD Captain of Detectives William F. and Veronica Marks Holohan, Sr. Father of Kathleen H. (Matthew) Sanchez of Ocean Isle Beach, NC, Lieut. William F. (Felicia) Holohan, III, YPD Retired of Branford, Thomas B. (Diane) Holohan of Waterford and Michael J. (Nadine) Holohan of Amesbury, MA. Grandfather of Bennett, Bryce (Alexa) and William F. IV (Jessica) Holohan, Brianna (Brian) Dwyer and Samantha (Nicholas) Nicolaides. Great grandfather of Maddox Ray Holohan, Griffin Michael Dwyer and Theodore Kieri Nicolaides. He was predeceased by his sisters Rita H. (the late Desmond) Kearney of Madison and Carol H. (the late Robert) Milmoe of West Haven.

He served in the US Navy from 1948-1952 at Anacostia Naval Air Station and aboard the USS Shangri-La (CV38). He retired after 19 years’ service in the New Haven Police Dept, having risen to the rank of Deputy Chief Inspector. He then went on to a 25-year career in the Branford Police Dept where he served as the Chief of Police. He was a member of the American Legion Post 83 in Branford and was a past president of the New Haven Police Legionnaires. He was also a past president and life member of the Connecticut Police Chief’s Association and a director and life member of the New England Association of Chiefs of Police.

He was an active member of Trinity Episcopal Church in Branford where he was an usher and a member of the Vestry. Bill & Rachel loved traveling, and had visited many US states, Canadian provinces, and cruised the Caribbean, but their favorite was an annual trip to Fort Myers, FL.

Relatives and friends may call Thursday from 4 - 7 PM at the W. S. Clancy Memorial Funeral Home, 244 North Main Street, Branford, and are invited to a funeral service Friday morning at 11 am at Trinity Episcopal Church in Branford. Burial will be private as he rejoins Rachel.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to CT Hospice, 100 Double Beach Rd., Branford, CT 06405.