William Ross Eckhardt, of South Burlington, Vermont passed away at his home on March 22, 2022 at the age of 89 with his wife Shohreh and hospice nurse Ingrid by his side.
He was born in Portland Maine on April 20, 1932, to Cornelius and Catherine Eckhardt. He grew up in Burlington and attended Cathedral High School. After graduation Bill attended St. Michael’s College before enlisting in the Navy. While in the Navy, he traveled the world aboard the aircraft carrier USS Hornet. Upon returning home from the Navy, he enrolled at the University of Vermont where he met the woman who would become the love of his life, Shohreh (Sherry) Batmanglidj. The two married in 1958 and enjoyed 63 wonderful years together. Bill graduated from the University of Vermont and worked at General Electric for over 30 years.
Bill loved life and endeavored to enjoy every moment. He often said that “you only live once, but if you play your cards right, once is enough.” Bill loved cats and gazing out on Lake Champlain from his home on the lake in South Burlington. He enjoyed traveling, sailing, target shooting, do-it-yourself projects, fast cars, and good food. He and Sherry could often be found tooling around the byways of Vermont in their convertible with the top down and he never met a lobster, oyster, or little neck clam he didn’t like.
He was preceded in death by his sister Constance Holstein and is survived by his wife, Shohreh, daughter Shireen Eckhardt and son-in-law Jeffrey Trigg, his son Kiya Batmanglidj, his loving cat Lynx, and several nieces and nephews.
Per Bill’s wishes, there will be a private celebration of life at the convenience of the family. If you would like to make a donation in Bill’s memory, please consider a donation to the USS Hornet Sea, Air, and Space Museum at www.uss-hornet.org or the Franklin County Animal Rescue at www.franklincountyanimalrescue.org.