William Joseph "Bill" Cliche

William Joseph Cliche, 89, of Estero, FL, passed away on Saturday, March 11, 2017. He had been a Florida resident since 1956 and an Estero resident since 2016. He was born February 19, 1928 in Whitefield, NH, the son of Hazel (née Baldic) and William Joseph Cliche Sr. William, otherwise known as Bill, met his wife, Gertrude (aka Trudy) on a blind date in 1952, fell in love at first site and were married in 1953. Together they decided they would move to Florida to start a life for themselves. Bill started out in a factory as a metal worker while Gertrude took a position as a bookkeeper for PJ Noyse, a pharmaceutical department. Eventually, an opportunity for The Florida Division of the Blind arose and Bill took it. Bill has been legally blind his entire life. Bill managed a cafeteria in the Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami for the Division for approximately twenty five years. When the hospital decided to tear the building down that Bill was in, the Division transferred him to manage a cafeteria in the Broward County Courthouse where he remained for five years and finished out his career. None of it could have been possible without his hard working, loyal wife by his side. In 1988, Bill had a stroke of the optic nerve which rendered him nearly totally blind so he decided to retire in 1989. Bill and Trudy moved to Delray Beach, Fl in 1994 to be closer in proximity to their youngest daughter, Linda and in September of 2016, Linda and her husband moved them into an assisted living facility in Estero, Fl where Linda and Karen (the eldest daughter) now live. Bill used to love working in his garage making “projects” out of wood. As his sight declined, he began to listen to his “talking books” and his collection of cd’s which consisted of anything from the oldies to country to classical music. Mr. Cliche is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Gertrude Anne (née Beaton) Cliche; his beloved children, Karen (Allan) Vollmer of Estero, FL, David (Leslie) Cliche of Winters, CA, Thomas (Malinda) Cliche of Vacaville, CA and Linda (Jorge) Toledo of Bonita Springs, FL; His brother and sister, Val (Sue) Cliche of Northumberland, NH and Virginia (the late Eddie) Courtier of Waterbury, VT; thirteen grandchildren and six great grandchildren. A funeral service will be held Wednesday, March 15, 2017 at 3:00 p.m. at Shikany’s Bonita Funeral Home, 28300 Tamiami Trail South, Bonita Springs. Burial with graveside services will take place Thursday, March 16, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. at Our Lady Queen of Peace Cemetery, 10941 Southern Blvd., Royal Palm Beach, FL. Arrangements are being handled by Shikany’s Bonita Funeral Home.

William Joseph "Bill" Cliche

February 19, 1928 - March 11, 2017