William Toler

Groton — William N. Toler, 90, a longtime Groton resident, died on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2018, at his home. Born in the small town of Wet Branch, W.Va., he was the son of the late Wyatt A. and Ina B. (Eskew) Toler and the loving husband of the late Adelie A. Toler.

At the age of 16, Bill enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard and served during World War II. He was honorably discharged from the Coast Guard, returned home to West Virginia for a short time before enlisting in the U.S. Navy where he served for 29 years, and was a veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars. He eventually settled in Groton and began his career as a test mechanic at Electric Boat.

He was a remarkable man who had strong opinions on many subjects and wasn’t afraid to tell you where he stood on any given issue. He was a proud veteran, proud American, proud of his American Indian heritage, and most of all, was a loving husband, father and grandfather. He was a gun enthusiast and ran a small gun repair shop for many years.

He is survived by three children, Chyrl (Donald) Butler, Lewis Toler and William F. Toler; six grandchildren, Christine (Jon) Rose, John (Chrissy) Sanborn, Kyla (Geof) Oberg, Tracey Toler, Amber Toler and fiancé Kevin, and Alisha (Nate) Gilman; and four great-grandchildren, Jacob Sanborn, Elyse Rose, LJ Stembridge and Dax Makar.

Donations in his memory may be made to Thames Valley Meals On Wheels, 81 Stockhouse Road, Bozrah, CT 06334 or Center for Hospice Care, 227 Dunham St., Norwich, CT 06360. The Woyasz & Son Funeral Home is assisting with private arrangements.