William A. Pace

William A. Pace, 92, of Bonita Springs, FL passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 30, 2017 at his residence in Southern Pines. Bill was born in Waterbury, CT on May 18, 1925 to Andrew H. and Margaret (Coates) Pace. He had been a resident of Bonita Springs since 1989 coming from Thomaston, CT. He was a graduate of Crosby High School and enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1943. He served in the Air Corps as a belly gunner on a B-17. On a flight over Germany and under intense fire another American aircraft was hit above Bill’s plane. As the plane was falling from the sky, it impacted the B-17 that Bill was on, causing his plane to lose a wing. He was one of only three who survived. He was taken prisoner and spent the last 6 months of the war in a POW camp. He was awarded the Purple Heart and was discharged from the Army on November 5, 1945. After returning home, he went to work for the Bristol Company as a tool and die maker. He retired in 1988. After retiring, Bill and his first wife, Mary moved to Bonita Springs. Mary passed away in 2012. Bill was a very active member of St. Leo the Great Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus Council 8877 and a 4th degree member of Assembly 2542, both of Bonita Springs. He was also a regular volunteer at the Soup Kitchen of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Immokalee. Bill was a proud veteran and was a member of the American Legion Post 303, the VFW Post 4254 and the DAV all of Bonita Springs. He was also a member of the Veterans Council of Bonita Springs. He is survived by his wife, Nancy L. Pace of Bonita Springs, FL; and his four children, Andrea Pace Sledjeski and her husband, Jack of Lehigh Acres, FL, Marie C. Pace of Provincetown, MA, Patricia E. Pace of Haiku, HI and one son, William A. Pace, Jr. and his wife, Donna of Thomaston, CT and three step-children, Carol Clemen and her husband, Kevin, Donna Featherston and her husband, Gary and Ron Sears and his wife, Tina. His greatest joys were his four grandchildren, Arnold Perrin of Wolcott, CT, Aileen Perrin of Waterbury, CT, Nico Pace-Teubner of Provincetown, MA and Miles Koblin currently residing in Prague, Czech Republic, and two great grandsons, Andrew Perrin of Lehigh Acres, FL and Samuel Perrin of Wolcott, CT. The family will receive friends on Thursday, June 1, 2017 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Shikany’s Bonita Funeral Home 28300 So. Tamiami Tr. Catholic Scripture services will be held at 6:30 PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday at 10:00 AM at St. Leo the Great Catholic Church 28300 Beaumont Rd., Bonita Springs, FL. Entombment will follow. The family will be accepting flowers, but also would encourage and donations in his name be made to the Bonita Bay Veterans Council 26660 Country Club Dr., Bonita Springs, FL 34134. Arrangements are being handled by Shikany’s Bonita Funeral Home.

William A. Pace

May 18, 1925 - May 30, 2017