William "Bill" Joseph Banulski Jr.

William “Bill” Joseph Banulski Jr. let go of his earthly struggles and passed away peacefully at his home in Southington on Monday, August 3, 2026, surrounded by members of his loving family.

Bill was born in New Britain on January 17, 1941, to Adele (DiGiacomo) and William J. Banulski Sr. Raised in New Britain, Bill attended and graduated from New Britain High School, earned a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Hartford and an MBA from the University of New Haven. He began his professional career in 1962 with the General Electric Company in the Technical Marketing Program. The GE assignment moved Bill and his young family from Massachusetts to New York to Virginia until they relocated back to Connecticut in the late sixties. He proceeded to enjoy a long and successful career in the aerospace industry, until he fully retired in 2011 from the EA Patten Company.

A devoted husband and father, Bill cherished time spent with family, including summer vacations in Hatteras, NC, as well as fishing, hunting, and shooting vintage cannons with his son Christopher.

He will be remembered for his playful sense of humor, his often outrageous pranks, his passion for World War II history, his generosity and his culinary skills. One of his most requested recipes for any occasion was a plate of his famous deviled eggs.

He was also known for his homemade fudge, pizzelles and fruit jam. And yes, Bill had a sweet tooth, no bowl of peanut M&M’s was safe around him!

During his youth, Bill was introduced to the sport of fishing and became hooked! Over the decades of his life, Bill fished various lakes and ponds across the state and beyond and enjoyed surf casting along the outer banks. He made annual treks to Lake Champlain with a group of other fishing fans and became a mentor and “big brother” to his longtime fishing companion, Bob Bennett.

Grannis Pond was definitely Bill’s favorite place to fish and spend time. As one of the longest active members of the Forestville Fishing Club, he was often spotted in his boat, pole in hand, casting and reeling in his line, hoping that a large mouth bass was dangling off the hook. “The Club” and “the guys down the club” played an integral part in Bill’s life over the years, especially Butch, Terry, Ray and Peter. Regular gatherings like the men’s outing, dock hop, football Sundays, ice fishing or just floating on a pontoon boat, were the lively events that brought Bill joy and made him smile. He had a deep appreciation for the serenity and natural beauty of the Club and the camaraderie of its members, all of whose respect and kindness did not go unnoticed. Bill’s presence at the Forestville Fishing Club will indeed be greatly missed.

Beside his parents, Bill was predeceased by his beloved wife Lorna (Bernardi) of 37 years. Having met in college, Lorna and Bill built a strong family foundation rooted in love and tradition.

Bill is survived by his son Christopher and daughter-in-law Hermie of Texas, his devoted daughter Shelley and her husband Michael Watts of Florida. Bill was the proud and fun-loving grandfather of three adoring grandchildren, Sarah Watts of Pennsylvania, Trevor Watts and his fiancé Natasha Harris of NYC and Marshall Watts and his companion Emma Burkhardt of New Hampshire.

Bill also leaves his brother Rit and his wife Jan of Pomfret, CT, sister Dorothy and her husband Mel of Bristol, CT and his brother Gary and his wife Diane, also of Bristol. Bill’s legacy extends to five nieces, and a nephew who shares his namesake, along with several cousins, close friends, especially “The Connecticut Choir”, and his caring companion Pat Stanton.

The Banulski family wishes to extend their heartfelt gratitude to Bill’s compassionate caregivers, Bernard, who was with him this past year and Curtis who cared for Bill the year prior, as well as the staff from the Hartford Healthcare Hospice Team for their kind support.

To honor Bill, A Celebration of Life Mass will be held at 11AM on Thursday, August 13th, at Our Lady of Mercy Church, 94 Broad Street, Plainville, CT, with a luncheon to follow.

A private burial will take place at a later date at the convenience of the family.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Bill’s memory to the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, 2361 Hylan Blvd, Staten Island, NY 10306 (t2t.org) or to Our Lady of Mercy Church, 19 S. Canal Street, Plainville, CT 06062 (olmct.org).

Plainville Funeral Home, 81 Broad Street, Plainville, is respectfully handling all arrangements. For more information or to leave online expressions of sympathy, please visit www.PlainvilleFuneralHome.com.

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