Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home

ROCKLAND, MAINE - William B.T. Ronalds III, (Bill), of Rockland, Maine, passed away at his home on Thursday, October 20, 2016.
Bill was born July 29th, 1943 in Brooklyn, New York, the son of William B.T., II and Emily Joyce Adele Knoche Ronalds. He left a life well-lived with grace, dignity and humor with an incredible list of accomplishments, awards and academic degrees. He graduated from Pen Argyl High School, Pen Argyl, PA, Kutztown University, New York University (NYU) and Syracuse University where he earned the prestigious Master of Fine Arts. He was selected to join The Society of Illustrators, among many other Art Societies and Guilds, and has had one of his works chosen to be a part of the Permanent Collection in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Bill began his career in art education in Ward Melville High School in New York, continuing on to Centenary College in New Jersey, and lastly served over two decades as a professor in the Department of Fine Arts of St. John’s University in New York, teaching illustration, cartoon, and drawing. He served that department as chairperson for nine years. He was cited with numerous awards, including the University-wide Excellence in Teaching and Scholarship citation at St. John's Commencement ceremony in Spring, 2004, having been nominated by art students and faculty colleagues.
Art, of course, was his passion but so was passing on his artistic genius to his students whom he loved and with whom he maintained a relationship long after they left to make their own artistic contributions to the world. He strived for excellence in his work with students, committed to teaching with passion and dedication. After witnessing them grow into the realization of their own potential, and the fullness and beauty of their humanity, he was grateful, humbled, and honored for the opportunity and privilege to contribute to the lives of so many of them.
Bill’s dry wit and keen humor kept his family and friends always waiting to see what his next creation would be. We will forever miss his Zoltan “deep thoughts” Facebook posts, and his snarky, incessant teasing. A great joy in his life were his canine companions on whom he bestowed much love and adoration.
He is survived by his partner of 33 years, Joseph Castiglione, his mother, Joyce “Phebe” Ronalds, his brother Hugh Ronalds and his wife, Anna; nephews Duncan Ronalds, Peter Ronalds and his wife Leslie; a niece Maureen Ronalds Santoli and her husband Joseph; a great nephew William and great nieces Annabel and Charlotte.
Bill’s passion for life may be found in one of his favorite quotes from Raymond Carver’s Late Fragment:
“And did you get what you wanted from the life even so?”
“Yes, I did.”
“And what did you want?”
“To call myself beloved, to feel myself beloved on the earth.”
And so he was. Rest in peace, our beloved Bill.
A Memorial Mass will be held on Saturday, December 3, at 11:00 AM, at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church, 150 Broadway, Rockland, Maine.
There will be a reception at The Fog immediately following the Mass. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the William Ronalds Scholarship Fund at St. John’s University, Attn: Gift Processing, 8000 Utopia Parkway, Queens, N.Y. 11439 – or to the local animal shelter, or local charity of one’s choice.
Arrangements are in the care of Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, 110 Limerock Street, Rockland.