Dr. William F. Dagilis, 72, passed away on April 9th Easter Sunday, after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. He left us while attempting a final fishing trip to his “happy place”, Marco Island, Florida, with his devoted wife of fifty years, Denise (Beaudoin).
He leaves his three cherished children, Danielle and partner Jeff Gunn of Los Angeles, CA, Sarah and husband Matthew Kelly of Norfolk MA, and son, Benjamin of Webster, MA and partner, Kristen Bshara. His mother J. Pauline Savastano predeceased him. Bill also leaves his sister Jaqueline Woieciechowski of Rindge NH and brother, Paul and wife Jill Dagilis of Worcester MA. Sisters-in-law Elaine (David) Juszynski and Paula Pelletier, brothers -in-law Kenneth (Rhonda) Beaudoin, David (Ann) Beaudoin, Donald (Corinne) Beaudoin and Stephen (Marsha) Beaudoin and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brother-in-law, Paul Pelletier and his stepfather Phillip Savastano.
He grew up in Worcester, MA and graduated from North High and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where he made many lifelong friendships. He received his D.M.D degree from the University of Louisville, School of Dentistry. He enjoyed a successful practice on Grafton Street, Worcester for forty years. Dr. Dagilis was a caring and compassionate dentist. He was much loved and respected by his patients, both children and adults, especially those who had a fear of dentists. His unique sense of humor both put them at ease and entertained them. His Halloween costumes, including the “tooth fairy”, were legendary. Always putting his patient’s best interest first, Dr. Dagilis was considerate of both their dental health and budget when determining the best course of action. When he retired to his beloved Cape Cod, after his first bout with cancer, he once again established himself as a highly regarded dentist and colleague working part time for Advanced Dental Spa in New Bedford.
Bill was a man of many talents and interests. He loved sports and found time to coach several of his children’s teams when they were young. An avid NE Patriots fan, he held season tickets for many years, including the Brady era. Tailgating menus with his children and friends were unrivaled! Bill loved to cook and entertain. He was famous for making jelly from the beach plums he picked, whipping up a batch of Anisette, or cooking various meats in his smoker. He always made enough for a crowd and then some! Bill never did anything small. He was known for his sense of humor, his quick wit, endless jokes and stories that would entertain everyone. He enjoyed golf but fishing was his favorite, whether on his boat at the Cape, or in the waters of SW Florida. Gardening was also a passion, constantly increasing his flower beds and vegetable planters, much to the delight of his neighbors. In his retirement, he took up woodworking, creating many decorative pieces including fish and flags, adorned with the shells he collected, snowflakes, and Christmas trees.
His family would like to thank the Oncology Dept, especially the nurses, at Cape Cod Hospital and Avow Hospice in Naples, FL, for the wonderful care they provided him. Donations in his memory can be made to PanCAN for Pancreatic Cancer Research (https://pancan.org). Visitation will be Wednesday, April 19th from 4pm to 7pm at Roney Funeral Home, 152 Worcester St, North Grafton, MA 01536. A memorial Mass will be said on Friday April 21st at 11:00am at Our Lady of the Cape, 468 Stony Brook Rd, Brewster, MA 02631.