William J. Wilczak

William "Bill" J. Wilczak, 83, of Amsterdam, NY; passed away Thursday, October 10, 2019, at Saratoga Hospital, surrounded by his family.

Born in Amsterdam, NY on February 19, 1936, he was the son of the late Joseph and Helen (Lenarciak) Wilczak. Bill received his education at St. Stanislaus Elementary School and graduated from Wilbur H. Lynch Senior High School, class of 1953.

On February 15, 1958, he was united in marriage to Lelia (Nethaway) Wilczak. As an avid fisherman, he often referred to Lelia as his “Best Catch”. The two had an extremely deep and loving relationship. His family was very important to him and he enjoyed family gatherings and cooking for anyone who came through the door. Bill is survived by their three sons, Christopher Wilczak and his wife, Jennifer, of Cheshire, MA; William A. Wilczak and his wife, Lisa, of Amsterdam, NY, and Eric Wilczak and his wife, Becky, of Winsted, CT; and one sister, Carrie Jane Kwiatkowski, of Beverly, MA. He was loved and respected by his grandchildren, William T. and his partner, Daniel Barlow; Casey, Ryan, and Kris Wilczak. He had many nieces, nephews, cousins, and brothers and sisters in law. Bill was predeceased by his sister, Dorothy.

He retired as a Machine Operator from Amsterdam Printing & Litho Co., Amsterdam, NY. Previously, Bill worked at Montco in Amsterdam, NY, as a Shipping Supervisor for 40 years. Bill was a communicant of St. Mary's Church in Amsterdam. A former member of the Reid Hill Fish & Game Club, Bill enjoyed hunting and fishing. He loved to go to the casino with his family, view family photos on Facebook, and write poetry. Bill was an enthusiastic gardener and chef, known for his food art.

Relatives and friends are invited to call on Tuesday, October 15th, 2019, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the at the Riley Mortuary, Inc., 110 Division Street, Amsterdam, NY 12010.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m., followed by interment at Hagaman Mills Cemetery.

Memorial gifts in Bill's name may be made to St. Mary's Institute, 10 Kopernick Boulevard, Amsterdam, NY 12010.