William Leroy Stillinger

William Leroy Stillinger, 76, of Berlin, CT, died peacefully on December 3, 2019 after a brief and courageous encounter with cancer. He will be remembered as a keen and capable person with a resonant, measured voice and a talent for helping people speak precisely and authentically about what mattered to them. A loving husband and father, engineer and musician, business manager and fine woodworker, he had a deep affinity for systems thinking. Many who knew him recall that he introduced them to people, ideas, and experiences they really enjoyed: a good place to bike; an author; a NYT recipe he’d tweaked. He listened as much as he talked and pursued his own creative projects with an exacting eye and steady hand.
He was the External Affairs Manager of PV Squared, a worker-owned solar energy cooperative in Greenfield, MA. Previously he was the Director of Renewables and Environmental Planning at Northeast Utilities in CT, and served on the boards of the Solar Energy Business Association of New England, the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association, and CONCORA.
An upright double bass player, he led the Sir William Trio, performing a wide repertoire of hard bop jazz and standards from the American songbook. He was a fine cook and avid cyclist, hiker, and gardener.
He is survived by his wife, Estrid Eklof; his daughters Cynthia Stillinger, Suzanne Stillinger, and Ardith Welwood; his son Chris Welwood; his two granddaughters Anna and Helena; brother Frank and sister-in-law Dot Stillinger; brother Buzz and sister-in-law Joan Stillinger; sister-in-law Carole Stillinger; and a warm extended family that includes many beloved nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brother Robert (Yancy) Stillinger.
Memorial to be held in March 2020 in Greenfield, MA.  In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributing to The William Leroy Stillinger Renewable Energy Memorial Scholarship at Greenfield Community College: www.gcc.mass.edu/give

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