Obituary: Ret. Fire Marshall William “Bill” Godburn, 97, of Meriden

MERIDEN, CT - (From Wallingford Funeral Home) Retired Fire Marshall William “Bill” Godburn, 97, of South Meriden, loving husband of 76 years to the late Mary “Gertrude” Godburn, passed away peacefully, May 3, 2022 at MidState Medical Center. He was born in Meriden, on January 30, 1925, a son of the late James and Helen (Faeth) Godburn.

Bill was born, raised and educated in Meriden and attended both Middlesex College and Central Connecticut University.

Prior to WWII, Bill played in the South Meriden Fife and Drum Corp. played baseball in the old Jimmy Burns League, and played softball with Rook’s Ponies. In fact, his last softball game was played on the day Pearl Harbor was attacked.

Prior to college, Bill served his country for three years during WWII. He served with the 8th and 9th U.S. Army Air Corps, with most of his service in Europe. He earned battle stars for the Air Offensive over Europe, Normandy and the Rhineland. He also earned the Unit Presidential Citation as well as several other campaign ribbons.

Additionally, he received an honor from the French Government for the liberation of France.

Upon his return home, Bill again played ball with the Catholic War Veterans.

He coached little league baseball in South Meriden for 10 years, was a scout master in the area for 25 years, served as President of the Hanover P.T.A., was a member of Rotary International for 20 years, was a member of the Somer Club of South Meriden, a member of the Meriden Civil Defense System, a member and President of the Tri-Town Golden “K” Kiwanis, a member of the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Antique Veterans of Meriden.

Additionally he served on the Board of Directors of the Kuhn Center, the Meriden School Building Committee, the Hunter Golf Commission, the Public Utilities Commission, the Conservation Commission, the South Meriden Revitalization Committee, the Quinnipiac River Association, the Turner Society, and the Republican Town Committee.

He served as a Eucharistic Minister for Holy Angels Church and was named to Who’s Who in the East in 1982 for his services to the City of Meriden.

In 1954, Bill became a member of the Meriden Fire Department serving first as a substitute and then as a regular at Engine Co. #3. In 1960 he was promoted to the position of Fire Marshal and headed the bureau for the next 22 years, retiring in 1982.

Bill is survived by: son Gerald Timothy, his wife Beth and their children Kevin (Jessica) and Lauren (Christian) Milert, and Kevin and Jess’s children Jonah and Amelia; son Peter and his wife Faye; and son David and his wife Carmella and their child, Ryan.

Bill was extremely proud of his family and loved them all. He was predeceased by his brother James K. Godburn and sister Lorraine Wyskiewicz.

His family will receive relatives and friends in The Wallingford Funeral Home, 809 N. Main St. Ext., on Monday, May 9th from 5 pm to 7 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday at 1o am directly at Holy Angels Church in South Meriden.

Interment with military honors rendered by the Antique Veteran Honor Guard and by the Meriden Fire Department Honor Guard will be in St. Boniface Cemetery in Meriden. Donations in his memory may be sent to the Meriden Antique Veterans C/O Meriden Senior Center, 22 West Main St., Meriden, CT 06451.

For online condolences or directions visit www.wallinfordfh.com.