William Laswell, 1942–2026, was ‘always willing and eager to give his time to the community’

William Dennis Laswell, passed away peacefully at the Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital in Bedford, MA on March 9, 2026. He was 83.

Willy/Bill/Billy was the embodiment of a loving father and grandfather, faithful friend, adoring husband, appreciative family member, community involved citizen and proud and grateful veteran.

When he retired from his full time job at the Waltham Post Office and his part time job in the Office of the Weston Public Schools he became involved in volunteering tirelessly at St Mary’s Church by serving as a Eucharistic Minister and assisting at funerals, at Marist Hill Nursing Home by assisting and being a friend to patients and by serving as Commander of Chapter #45 of the DAV. He was always willing and eager to give his time to the community. He believed that kindness should always be shared and never in short supply, that forgiveness is our greatest strength, that it doesn’t cost anything to give back and to step up and do the right thing when you see that it needs to be done.

His generosity of spirit was admired by all. He believed that humor could brighten even the darkest hour. Hard working, always forgiving, loving and faithful, Willy had many friends who always knew that a good time and laughter would be had by all where and when Willy was included.

Willy/Dad/Bumpa was a loving and devoted husband to Donna (Thompson) to whom he was married for 57 years, a proud father to his sons, Shawn and Glenn, and proud grandfather to Michael and to Michael’s partner, Emily Giroux.

He leaves his nieces Linda Geoffrion, her husband Gary and their children Matthew and Thomas, and Cheryl Stunkel and her husband Glenn; his nephew Peter Magliarditi, his wife Kathy and their children Emma and Paul; his sisters-in-law Carol Pottle who was predeceased by her husband Michael, their children Mark and Sharon and her husband Dave Clement and their children Adam and Callie, and Diane DeRoche, her husband Ronald and their children Ryan and Kerri and her husband Matt Galvin and their children Avery and AJ.

He was predeceased by his sister Mary Joanne Laswell, his father, William H. Laswell, his mother, Lillian (Mahoney) Laswell and his son, Shawn Laswell.

The family is eternally grateful to the staff, nurses and doctors at Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital for the compassionate care they afforded him in the last few months of his life. Thank you all for your service, compassion and dedication to our veterans.

Family and friends will honor and remember Bill’s life by gathering for a evening wake in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street, (Route 20) Waltham, on Friday, March 20 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and again on Saturday morning, March 21 at 9 a.m. before leaving in procession to Saint Mary’s Church, 133 School Street, Waltham where his funeral mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Military honors will be rendered at the conclusion of the Mass and burial in Mount Feake Cemetery will be private.