~ IN MEMORY ~
Military veteran, NEA/DL Capt. William J. Danaher
April 16, 1934 ~ January 20, 2021
Notification with the passing of retired Northeast/Delta
pilot Captain William ‘Bill’ Danaher, age 86.
Captain Danaher joined Northeast Airlines 01-03-1967 and retired with
Delta Air Lines, based Boston. He is
survived by his wife Jeanne along with his children and grandchildren.
To view/sign the online guestbook please visit the funeral
home website at
https://www.desmondfuneralhome.com/obituaries/William-Bill-Danaher?obId=19742897#/obituaryInfo
Obituary is also available for viewing online at
For those who may wish to send a personal note, whitepages
lists the Danaher’s most current address as
111 Elm St. Apt 108 , Birmingham,
MI 48009.
Thank you,
~ Carol for the PCN
Obituary : William
"Bill" Danaher
William "Bill" Danaher was born April 16, 1934 in
Torrington, Connecticut. He was the second son of Dr. Thomas and Helen Danaher,
both of Thomaston, Connecticut.
Bill and his brother, Thomas, or "Tom," were the
sons of a prominent surgeon in a small manufacturing town. Tom followed in his
father's footsteps and became a surgeon. Bill's journey was not so
straightforward, primarily due to his alcoholism, which began to surface in
college. He attended the College of the Holy Cross for three years until, precipitated
by disciplinary and academic issues, he withdrew to enlist in the Air Force.
Fortunate all his life, he was accepted into flight school
even though he did not have the prerequisite bachelor's degree. After
graduation, he was assigned to the Military Air Transport Service. When his
ranking officers noticed his organizational abilities and energy, he was posted
as a Maintenance Officer. This led to an assignment with The Strategic Air
Command to Morocco, a critical post during the Cold War. His command of French
provided entry and access to fellow officers in the Royal Moroccan Air Force.
The friendships he made, and the advantages these provided in a "neutral
country" still receiving military aid and personnel from the Soviet Union,
were one of the highlights of his military career. The aptitude for
cross-cultural communication and fluency he gained there served him well the
rest of his life.
However, during this time, the alcoholism that cut short his
college career progressed, and he elected to be discharged from the Air Force
to avoid further disciplinary charges. For the same reason, his first marriage,
through which he was blessed with two daughters, Dorothy and Joanne, ended in
divorce. While in the midst of being discharged and divorced, he began to read
Alcoholics Anonymous, otherwise known as the "Big Book," written by
Bill Wilson. This led him to the fellowship formed by the author, which
provided him with the support and nurture he needed to obtain sobriety, which
began on New Year's Day, 1964.
Intent on making amends, he returned to his hometown. He
rekindled a relationship with his childhood sweetheart, Jeanne Zoli, who was
the love of his life. They were wed by a justice of the peace on February 15,
1965 and later married in the Roman Catholic Church on February 13, 1979. Bill
adopted Jeanne's son from her previous marriage, John, and together they had
another son, also named William ("Bill"). Through Jeanne's undying
encouragement and loving support, Bill returned to the College of the Holy Cross,
from which he graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1966.
During this time, he made ends meet by selling small
airplanes and giving flying lessons to the teaching clergy of his college.
Degree in hand, he was hired by Northeast Airlines. Northeast was acquired by
Delta Airlines in 1972, which led to a fulfilling and successful career lasting
32 years. Bill flew all of the aircraft in the Delta fleet and on most of its
national and international routes. It is impossible to overstate the joy he
experienced in being an airline pilot. He loved every aspect of his career. He
conscientiously stayed physically fit, constantly worked to perfect his
knowledge and skills, and delighted in traveling the globe. He was an avid gun
collector and hunter of fowl, small game, and big game. He was also an expert
horseback rider, and he took many trips to Ireland to fox hunt - a pastime more
akin to the modern steeplechase than to its much tamer iteration in the United
States. His greatest source of spiritual strength and comfort was his
membership in Alcoholics Anonymous. He regularly attended three meetings a
week, no matter where he was, and this fellowship brought him into contact with
people from all walks of life all over the world. He was actively involved in
helping others find treatment and sobriety. He sponsored many fellow
alcoholics, serving as their friend, mentor, and, at times, surrogate father.
He successfully advocated for better employee assistance programs for addiction
at Delta and at other airlines. He was active in a recovery group for pilots
known as "Birds of a Feather International" (boaf.org).
Finally, following the traditions and practices of the
Alcohol Anonymous program, he increased his conscious contact with God,
becoming, in his later years, unexpectedly religious. Bill was a handsome,
gregarious, generous, charming man who was quick with a smile and a story. One
that he enjoyed telling was of landing a small plane on the practice football
field of Holy Cross. Risk-assessment was not a gift he possessed, and this
meant he most often learned life's lessons the hard way. He embraced and often
lived up to his life-long nickname, "Wild Bill." However, when he
practiced his program, he became his best self, and his prodigious social skills
became powerful forces for good. Particularly to those who struggled with
addiction, he was known for his kindness, wisdom, and availability.
Most importantly, he was quick to acknowledge his wife,
Jeanne, as the reason he achieved what he did in his life. She was his north
star, his best friend, his lover. Toward the end of his life, aside from
sobriety, he believed that his greatest achievement was returning to her in
equal measure the immense love she gave to him.
Bill is survived by his wife, Jeanne, his brother Tom
(Nancy), his sons Dr. John W. Danaher (Jill), The Rev. Dr. William J. Danaher,
Jr. (Claire), his daughter, Joanne Chitty, and his grandchildren, Phoebe, Kate,
Rose, and Jack. An online service followed by an outdoor, in-person interment
with military honors in the columbarium will take place at Christ Church
Cranbrook at 11:00am on Saturday, January 30, 2021. Please use the following
link: https://christchurchcranbrook.org/church-at-home/
Memorial gifts may be
made in Bill's name to Alcoholics Anonymous, General Service Office, Box 459,
Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10163, or to Christ Church Cranbrook, 470
Church Rd, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304. A.J. Desmond & Sons, (248) 549-0500.
Sign tribute wall at AJDesmond.com
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