A priest, educator, administrator, athletic director and coach for 33 years, Rev. William F. "Bill" Gartland left us on November 2, 1988 when he was stricken with a heart attack at the age of 64. Nobody touched more lives and hearts than Father Bill during his tenure at Stonehill. He was the College's Ambassador of Goodwill from Maine to Florida. A warm, kind man, Father Bill loved athletics and was Stonehill's #1 fan. In the College's early years his continued support helped elevate Stonehill's name to among the best in Division II in New England. Born August 6, 1924, Rev. Gartland was a graduate of Boston College High School. He attended Boston College for a year before entering Our Lady of Holy Cross Seminary in North Easton in 1942. He graduated cum laude from the University of Notre Dame and in 1951 he received a master's of arts degree in religious education from Catholic University in Washington, D.C. In 1985, Father Gartland was honored for his dedication to Stonehill at a testimonial when over 800 people paid tribute to the man, priest and educator. Proceeds of the tribute went to the Rev. William F. Gartland Scholarship Fund. In 1987, the college honored Father Gartland as he received the George P. Benaglia Award for outstanding service to the college. Since 1956, Father Gartland made it his duty to involve himself in all levels of college life.
