Boleslaw "Bill" Koziell

NEWPORT, NH – Boleslaw "Bill" Koziell passed away peacefully with family by his side at the Cheshire Medical Center in Keene, NH on December 31, 2020 at the age of 85.

Bill was born on September 18, 1935 in the village of Sutoki, Poland and was the second son of Konstanty and Jadwiga Koziell.  For much of his childhood, Bill, his parents, and his older brother Wicktor moved around different parts of Poland as much of Europe worked its way through World War II.  As Bill grew older, he became separated from his parents, and at the end of the war when the Iron Curtain fell, Bill was forced into the Russian Army.  After considerable effort and more than one decade, Bill came to the United States in 1959 and was reunited with his parents and his two younger brothers, John and Joe, who he had never met until then.

After leaving Poland, Bill only resided in Newport.  He first lived on Laurel Street with his parents.  Once married to Florence Derosier on January 12, 1963, he and Florence lived on Grove Street, moved to Guild, and eventually settled in their home on Autumn Lane in 1977.  Bill loved his Autumn Lane home and took great pride and meticulous care of his yard and garden during the summer months and handled all the snow plowing during the winter months so that it was done "just right".  Bill also loved his Autumn Lane home because this was where he raised multiple German Shepherds (his outdoor companions and driving buddies) and spent time with good neighbors and friends.

Bill worked a number of different jobs during his early years in the United States while overcoming his Polish to English language barrier.  Bill subsequently worked at Door Woolen Mill for more than ten years until he finally moved to Sturm Ruger, where he worked for 26 years as a machinist.  Bill worked on the second shift at nights assembling parts and pieces of different firearms.  Many guns manufactured by Sturm Ruger before 1998, the date of Bill's retirement, probably have his fingerprints on them some place.

Bill and Florence had two sons – Paul and Peter.  Over the years, Bill and his family traveled annually to Hampton Beach for summer vacations and enjoyed ice fishing during the winters.  Bill taught both his sons the value of hard work, the significance of education, and the importance of family.

As time moved forward, Bill’s family expanded with the addition of daughters-in-law and grandchildren.  Bill enjoyed spending time with Paul, Denise, and their children, Sophia and Nicholas and Peter, Natalie, and their son, Isiah.  Bill took great interest in all his grandchildren.  He danced to the “Lilo and Stitch” soundtrack with Sophia, tied knots on lobster traps with Nicholas, and cut wood with Isiah.  Bill also enjoyed teaching his grandchildren the importance and intricacies of sausage making – a major food group to Bill.

Bill is predeceased by both his parents and two of his brothers, Wicktor and John.  Bill is survived by his sons and their families, and his youngest brother and good friend, Joe.  And most of all, Bill is survived by his Florence, who is the most heartbroken to see him go but is happy that he is finally at peace. 

The funeral will be held for immediate family only.  However, a celebration of Bill’s life will be held this summer.

In lieu of any flowers, Bill’s family requests that donations be made to the Newport Area Association Food Pantry located at 95 South Main Street in Newport.