William M. Horwitz

William M. Horwitz, 90, passed away peacefully on May 28, 2022.  Born in Toledo, Ohio, and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Bill is survived by his wife of 68 years, Deborah (Silverman) Horwitz; his three children, Barry Horwitz (Elizabeth), Susan Miller (Herbert), and Andrew Horwitz (Alexandra Callam); six grandchildren, Michael, Alison, John, Peter, Daniel and Catherine; and one great-grandchild, Oliver.

Bill was a graduate of Erasmus Hall High School and the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business.  After serving in the United States Army, stationed in Germany, he and Debby moved to the Boston area to start their lives together, first living in Brookline but settling in Newton.  He was the general manager of Colten’s, a chain of linen stores, for over two decades before opening his own business, Window Decor, which specialized in window treatments.  He continued to operate that business well into his eighties.

An avid and talented tennis and squash player, Bill was a long-time member and past president of the Newton Squash & Tennis Club.  He was known at the club for his athletic prowess and tenacity on the courts, but he was admired above all else for his extraordinary sportsmanship.  He liked to win – and he did win often — but it was far more important to Bill to play the game with honesty and fairness and to treat others well.  He passed along these priorities beautifully to his children and grandchildren.

Bill was a very special person in so many ways.  He was warm, gracious, caring, funny, and, above all else, kind.  He was quite simply the nicest and most decent person that one could imagine, with an extraordinary sense of personal integrity.  He was loved by all who knew him, and it would be hard to find a person who had a bad word to say about him.  He was a wonderful and devoted father, grandfather, and great grandfather, and his spirit and his values live on in all of those whose lives he touched.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial contribution in Bill’s honor to the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund or the charity of your choice would be greatly appreciated.  A gathering in celebration of Bill’s life will be scheduled at some time later this summer.