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Dear all,
Thanks for all the kind words about my brother. It’s hard (still) to think of Bill’s passing. Here’s a brief biography on him after Graded.
Bill went to college at Boston University, majoring in Journalism. After graduation he traveled for a year bumming through South America. He ran out of money in Mexico and did free lance work for UPI to make some cash. He arrived home on a Greyhound bus with 50 cents in his pocket (literally).
Bill got a job working in DC for a marketing group then after a few years got a job with the State Department traveling in Asia going to American schools to convince kids not to use drugs. (Supreme irony, no?) He then went to Tufts for a Master’s in International Affairs and Diplomacy, and got a job with Citibank. He lived a high life in Manhattan for a year learning the business. Then it was back to Brazil as a loan officer in Campinas, SP.
Bill married Magali, a Brazilian, in 1985. He transferred to Citibank in Salvador for a few years, and was getting ready to move to Rio. He died of a sudden heart attack in Dec. 1988 at aged 38. My grandfather died of a similar problem when he was 40. Who can predict?
My favorite Graded memory of Bill was the wonderful radio show he gave during homeroom. He would write the script on scraps of paper as we rode the bus to school. Always spontaneous, always funny, he taught me so much, and was incredibly generous. To Bill a toast!
Thanks to all for your memories. BTW, Pickett lives in Montpelier, VT and Jody lives in Richmond, VA, where I also live.
Abracos,
Jonathan Wight
jwight@richmond.edu
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Nancy Harwell (Franko) (1969)
Bill will always have a special place in my heart. He was a wonderful friend. What fun times we had together in Guaruja!Nancy Harwell
Dean Farrar (1970)
Yes, how Webby loved Guaruja. Drinking beers under lazy ceiling fans and ugly florescent lights plotting the overthrow of the current gov't. on a hot Guaruja night. Drinking beers at the Brick Wall debating merits of lettuce and sliced hard boiled eggs on the pizza da casa. Having him ride shotgun with Debbie and I on prom night? Why not,We had plenty of room and he was family and fun. Years later in Boston with my brother Bruce, Bill, and local TV personality Nate drinking beers playing cards till beers ran out.Do you think it was the beers? Nah.
Miss him like a brother.
Susan Alkema (Da Silva) (1968)
I didn't know that Bill died. I'm so sorry. He was briefly my boyfriend in ninth grade, around the time that I was Roxanne is the play Cyrano the Bergerac. I think he was pretty new to Graded at that time. I remember the beautiful flowers he brought me on opening night. What a sweet, sweet guy he was then. I can't remember why he stopped being my boyfriend, but I'm pretty sure he was the one who broke up with me. My family moved to Portugal when we were in tenth grade, so I only knew Bill a short while.Jane Stowell (Duck) (1968)
Bill was a great guy! So sweet and so much fun. There were always great times at the Wight's house. Bill took me to our junior prom......I think the overnighter was at the Reynolds'. When we started to find each other in the 90s via the internet, I looked for Bill. I came up with a contact for Picket, his sister, excited to connect with him. That's when I found out. I don't remember the details, except that he had a heart attack. I believe he had gone to Brasil with a bank (Chase?). He was very young, in his 30s. What a great guy!Mary Ellen ("Melen") Lunn (1968)
I was very saddened to learn of Bill's untimely passing. He and his sister Pickett were some of my first friends when I arrived at Graded in 10th grade, in the fall of 1965. I spent countless hours in the Wight home that first year, 1965-66, as Pickett and I were close friends. Bill was an all around really good guy, with a terrific sense of humor. He contributed a lot to Mr. Colby's drama club. I recall how much he adored Elin Nagel, his girlfriend senior year (and perhaps before). He was awestruck the day she won Graded's beauty contest. Elin's sunny personality shone through during the contest, and that was part of her beauty that he cherished. I am so very sorry for all who knew and loved him.Jan Huseby (Huseby) (1968)
I still get sad knowing that Bill is no longer here. The summer after senior year Elin Nagle's dad arranged employment for both of us at Ultrafertil. I don't know what Bill did but I was a receptionist and the highlight of each day was lunch with Bill. I saw him in Boston as well during college. I am sad vI cannot see him again. It doesn't seem fair. Without fail he could always make me laugh.