Obituary of William Lacourciere

CHESHIRE - William J. Lacourciere, 73, of Cheshire, CT, beloved husband, father, and grandfather passed away peacefully Friday March 29, after a courageous nine year battle with cancer. He was the husband of Sheila (Wrinn) Lacourciere. "Bill" as he was known was born September 8, 1939 in New Britain, the son of the late Royal and Louise Lacourciere and was raised in Southington. He graduated from Southington High School in 1957 where he played football and was captain of his team, an accomplishment he was proud of. He married the love of his life Sheila Wrinn of Southington and joined the Air Force where he learned and taught electronics. After retiring from the Air Force he joined the Technical Measurement Corporation as Manufacturing Manager. Bill spent over 40 years as a senior executive, providing innovative, leading-edge products to the medical marketplace. These products helped save the lives of patients from adults to the smallest premature infants. In 1968 he became one of the original start-up members of Corometrics Medical Systems, serving 10 years as Vice President of Operations. Then in 1978, he co-founded Novametrix Medical Systems; he held various senior leadership positions over 25 years serving the majority of those years as President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman of the Board. Novametrix was a Wallingford-based public company, traded on NASDAQ, that developed, manufactured and distributed medical monitoring equipment worldwide. In addition Bill founded owned and operated Life Supply in Wallingford, CT for over 10 years. Bill also served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Friends of the Children's Hospital at Yale - New Haven, and of the Miller - Johnson Company of Meriden, Connecticut. He was also Chairman of the WPCA in Point 'O'Woods in South Lyme. In Cheshire he served on the Republican Town Committee, was a Chairman for Parks and Recreation and a past president of the Jaycee's. Bill's favorite place was Point 'O' Woods beach where he spent summers with his family. His favorite time of day was sitting on the deck at sunset with his family and he thought it was the most beautiful place in the world. Besides his wife of 56 years, he is survived by his children Faith Weiss and her husband Jim of Avon, Karen Bertoni and her husband Brian of Cheshire and William Lacourciere of Meriden, his grandchildren Michael and Brian Weiss, Erica Defazio, Angelina Bertoni, Lauren and Sara Lacourciere, and Jason Weiss; his sister Pricilla Lippitt of Meriden, his brother Philip Lacourciere of Southington, his brother Jack of Cheshire, his sister Joanne Wray of St. Petersburg, FL, his brother Richard Lacourciere of Southington, as well as many nieces and nephews. Arrangements - Funeral services will be held on Thursday April 4, 2013, 9:15 from the Alderson Funeral Home of Cheshire, 615 S. Main St., to St. Bridget Church for Mass at 10 a.m. Burial will follow in St. Bridget Cemetery. Calling hours will be on Wednesday April 3, 4-8PM at the funeral home. Memorial Contributions may be made to Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale New Haven c/o Office of Development, P.O. Box 1849, New Haven, CT 06508.