William McGrath, 77, of Bedford, MA passed away peacefully on March 29, 2024 at Lahey Clinic in Burlington, MA after a week-long illness surrounded by his loving family. William was the son of the late Patrick and Irene McGrath. He was born in Cambridge, but spent time growing up in Massachusetts and Florida.  He was the fifth of six brothers and sisters. He graduated from St. Patrick's High School in Watertown, MA.

After High School William joined the United States Navy serving on the USS Zellars.  He provided 4 years of service to his country as a Sonar Technician and received the National Defense Service Medal. He was always proud of his service to the country and could frequently be seen wearing a Navy hat on a sunny day.

Upon his discharge from the military, William began an apprenticeship as an electrician, eventually starting his own business. He took great pride in his craft, always paying attention to the smallest detail to make sure the job was done correctly. He met his beautiful wife Frances and they married in 1972. They built a wonderful and caring home for their three children, Brendan, Jeff, and Jessica in Bedford.

William was most happy when he was taking care of his garden and yard. While his family often teased him for his passion for the perfect lawn and his never-ending battle with chipmunks, he was the first person they called when they needed help. Even in his last days, he was telling his family exactly what needed to be done that Spring to keep the yard looking nice. He built great relationships with his neighbors and friends, always willing to help shovel snow, water plants when they were away, or lend a hand in any other way he could help.

In his retirement years he loved being active in grandchildren's lives, frequently attending their games and school events. They affectionately called him "GP". He was known for his grandpa jokes, extremely practical gifts, numerous "rules", and sayings that every grandchild knows well and will remember him for.

William is survived by his wife of 51 years, Frances McGrath, his children, Brendan McGrath and his wife Ilona of Jamaica Plain, MA, Jeff McGrath and his wife Jennifer of Chatham, NJ, and Jessica Finnigan and her husband Brin of Hotchkiss, CO.  William is also survived by his beautiful grandchildren, Jacob, Gregory, Juliana, Krisztina, Huck, and Frankie. He is predeceased by his siblings John, Patricia, Maureen, Kevin, and Ann.

Visitation will be at the Bedford Funeral Home, 167 Great Rd., Bedford, MA on Tuesday, April 2, from 4:00-7:00 PM.

The funeral will begin at the Bedford Funeral Home, on Wednesday, April 3, at 9:00 AM, followed by a funeral Mass at Parish of St. Michael, 90 Concord Rd., Bedford, MA at 10:00 AM.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation at https://pulmonaryfibrosis.org.