William Ernest Crowell, Jr.  of  Dennis, Massachusetts, passed away peacefully at home on June 3, 2025. He was the son of Annie (Ryder)  and William Ernest Crowell  and brother to the late Charles Francis Crowell and Cynthia Ann (Crowell) Edwards. He was predeceased by his wife of  59 years, Joanne Bradford (Whitney) Crowell. He leaves his children: Bradford Crowell and his wife Kim, Susy Remillard and her husband, Joe, Aaron Crowell and his wife Betsy, and Sam Crowell and his wife Mary, all of Dennis and Yarmouth. He is survived by his sisters-in-law Joanie Crowell of Dennis and Marlene Whitney of Simsbury, Connecticut. He will be greatly missed by his beloved grandchildren: Anna, Catherine, and William Crowell, Hallie, Madeleine and Nellie Stidham, Emma Crowell, and Willa and Charles Crowell. In his final days, he was surrounded by their laughter and love.
 
After moving down to the Cape when his father took over the family cranberry business,  Bill graduated from Yarmouth High School in 1952 and went on to attend Boston University, including four years of Army ROTC. After graduation, he served at Fort Bragg, NC, and Fort Bliss, TX in the Army Reserve, attached as a First Lieutenant to a unit in New Bedford. He attended Washington and Lee School of Law in Lexington, VA, graduating and going into legal practice with William Swift in Hyannis in 1960, the start to a career that would span over 60 years of serving Cape Codders.
 
In all ways, Bill exemplified a life of public service. With deep Cape Cod roots, he believed that the best way to create a lasting legacy is to devote your time and talents to the benefit of your community. As one of the longest serving municipal officials in the history of the Commonwealth, Bill served as a member of the Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School Committee, the Wixon School Building Committee, the Dennis Finance Committee, the Zoning Board of Appeals, and for 56 years as moderator of the Dennis Water District. For decades, he volunteered for numerous church and library committees, as well as serving on the Raymond Moore Foundation of the Cape Playhouse. He actively pursued his passion for sport with local organizations, including the Dennis Senior Softball League and the Cape Cod Ski Club.
 
When not on the ballfield or moderating a contentious water district meeting, Bill could be found enjoying life with friends and family. He was known for his long reach on the paddle tennis court, his intrepid and often incautious sailing adventures on the Crow’s Nest, and his  involvement in the raucous Friday lunch group at Jason’s Tavern. His wife and family centered his world, and with a seldom firm but steady hand, he guided his children and grandchildren to becoming their best selves, without fail being there to watch their academic, athletic, and artistic pursuits from the sidelines. More than a spectator, home life was also filled with balls, bats, gloves, and racquets, and he often participated when the boys were breaking the “no ball in the house” rule. Through it all, Joanne and Bill created a life together for their family, a life filled with good humor and love, far-flung adventures, and more than a few dogs, ducks, and sheep.  He will be sorely missed, leaving  a legacy of  service and unwavering dedication to his family and to the place we all call home.

Family and friends are invited to call at the Hallett Funeral Home, 273 Station Ave., South Yarmouth, MA on Thursday, June 19, 2025 from 4-6 P.M.  A funeral service will be celebrated on Friday, June 20, 2025 at 11:00 A.M. in the Dennis Union Church, Route 6A, Dennis, MA
Interment will be private.

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