I am heartbroken to announce the death of my husband, William Paul Sarceno, “Bill” on the 24th of April 2024. He will be greatly missed and will always hold a firm place in our hearts. My husband was always working on a project, supporting his family and cracking jokes. His devotion to his children came above all and yet he would help a friend at a moment’s notice. Bill’s kindness and support, the love he gave so freely and his ability to make a friend everywhere he went is what we remember most.
It’s so difficult to sum up a life in a single page. So, I will start with the simple things. Bill was born on April 10th in 1959 in New York State. He was the youngest son of Emma Lou Sarceno and Anthony Frank Sarceno. He was raised in New York state with his two brothers, Joseph Scott Sarceno and Anthony Sarceno.
Bill was an avid animal lover. His dogs were like his children, and he mourned their passing’s as he would a family member. Bill was a supportive and caring husband, a loving father, a painter, a mechanic, a boat captain, a lawn renovation specialist and a chef. He had many hobbies over the years from baseball to boat racing to pickle ball to his favorite golf app, but he was always doing something. He was always busy….and maybe a tad distracted. You could say he always had a few too many tabs open. His brain was often so busy in fact that he rarely slept the whole night through. About his sleep struggles though, he never complained. He only got up and got to something. Remodeling was a common project for him in the last few years. And though he tended to leave just a small part unfinished, he also poured his sweat and often blood into everything he touched.
It’s all so unfair to lose a loved one too soon for any reason, yet a terminal disease like pancreatic cancer is especially brutal for everyone involved. Cancer stole an amazing man and beautiful soul from this world, but I hope that is not the story we all fixate on. Instead, I ask you each to picture him in the last happy moment you shared with him. For me, it was his birthday just a couple weeks ago. He was lucky enough to be able to celebrate his birthday with his closest friends and family. His mood was bright. Though his pain was unimaginable for us, he smiled, he laughed, he held me tight, and he lived in the moments he had left. My daughter expressed a story about having ice cream cones recently with Bill. He soaked up the sun and company with jokes about his leaning tower of deliciousness and how many flavors she chose to mix into hers. I am so thankful that he got the chance to have those experiences towards the end. I’m thankful that we all got to share that cherished memory with him. I will cherish these and many other small moments like that for the rest of my life.
Bill brought joy, love, and comedy into my life. He put others first. He made time to talk and more often to listen. He was the strongest man I’ve ever known and the kindest. Although he is gone those gifts of love will remain in our hearts and souls as life continues for the rest of us.
Bill leaves behind his wife, Gayle Sarceno; daughter, Lindsay Meagan Wolcott; sons, Damon Joseph Sarceno and Robert Dylan Novitske; stepdaughter, Samantha Christine Creel; two beloved grandchildren; along with a huge friend circle and extended family.
At this time, I am not planning a public ceremony and would appreciate privacy to mourn the love of my life in my own time.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Tunnel to Towers Foundation (https://t2t.org/).
