Gilroy native William
”
Bill
”
Bettencourt died after congestive heart failure on Friday, Feb.
20, at Saint Louise Hospital, Gilroy.
Gilroy native William “Bill” Bettencourt died after congestive heart failure on Friday, Feb. 20, at Saint Louise Hospital, Gilroy. He was 92 years old.
Bill was born and raised in Gilroy. He worked on his family dairy as a young man. He was an Army Veteran of World War II as a master tech sergeant serving in Buchenwald, Germany, and Normandy, France, in the 279 Engineers.
He married his late wife, Dell, in 1946 in Reno, Nev. He owned and operated Bettencourt Bros. dairy with his brother, A.V. for five years in Los Banos.
He moved to Gilroy working at BeGe Manufacturing. He then worked for Toscano Ford in Los Banos as a mechanic before working at Western Tile, Gilroy until retiring in 1965.
Charter and life-long member of the VFW and the American Legion both in Gilroy. Native Sons of the Golden West, past Gilroy Elks, I.F.D.E.S., Our Lady of Fatima and the ECV “Clampers.”
He was the loving husband of the late Dell Bettencourt; loving father of Patti Bettencourt, of Gilroy; son of the late Joseph and Marian Bettencourt; brother of A.V. Bettencourt and his wife Fritz, of Los Banos, Mina Slentz and her husband Harold, of Hayward, Josephine Palage and her late husband Nick, of Grants Pass, Ore., Karl Bettencourt and his wife Eileen, of Roseville, and the late Manuel J. Bettencourt, Joe V. Bettencourt, Marion Fewel and John Bettencourt; loving step-father of Shirley Brem and her husband Dick, of Madera; loving step-grandfather of Mike Brem and his wife Tina, of Turlock, Nancy Lomanto and her husband Nick, of Hollister, Jim Brem and his wife Pam, of Strathmore; loving step great-grandfather of Jason Brem, Jeff Brem, Ryan Bergamini, Kyle Brem and Tyson Brem; godfather of Steve Lemos, of Belmont, Sandee Senior, of Bakersfield, and Carol Lynn Barcellos, of San Jose; and brother-in-law of Carroll K. Hurd, of Gilroy, and Marge Monteiro, of Salinas.
He is also survived by many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Rosary will be Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Habing Family Funeral Home, Gilroy.
Funeral Services will begin Thursday at 9 a.m. at the funeral home. Then to St. Mary’s Church for Mass at 10 a.m. Entombment will follow at Gavilan Hills Memorial Park, Gilroy.
