Bill was born on August 2, 1930 to Tom and Elizabeth White in Brooklyn, New York. His mother passed away when he was 10 years old and he and his only sibling Tom Jr. found great sanctuary in their summer home at Point Lookout, New York.

Tom went off to World War II becoming a key man on General Patton's team at the wars end. He returned home and after years of Bill selling printing presses to industry decided to join forces with his brother. They build some of the greatest, celebrated and indeed simple New York restaurants. Their three star New York Times Giraffe on East 58th Street featured a 20 foot silver giraffe out front and boasted clientele including Aristotle Onassis and John & Yoko Lennon.

Their upper East side Beach Cafe on 70th Street and 2nd Avenue which they held for 37 years still continues at 48 years strong with a former manager Dave Goodside.

The Point View Inn in in Point Lookout, now the Fisherman's Catch, was a bowling alley when Bill was young. He was a "pinboy" and 50 years later owned the 500 seat seaside lobster joint with other dear family members.

He founded the Point Lookout Chamber of Commerce and was a distinguished member of the community there. He was an active member of the Point Lookout Civic Association for over 50 years. He and Patricia are parishioners of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal R.C. for 65 years.

He met his beloved wife Patricia at Ladycliff College in 1955 at a dance near West Point. They later married on May 18, 1957 and remained the loves of each other's lives, best friends and soulmates for 58 years. ...

He and Pat travelled the world excited to explore culture and cuisine. He was an avid sailor with his great friend Judge Bill Bennett. People in Paris, Rome, and London would tell him how much they loved the restaurants he, his brother and nephews Tom and Conrad, Nicole and Parker owned.

On his 50th wedding anniversary his Holiness Pope Benedict XVII received him at the Vatican blessed them and His Eminence Edmond Cardinal Czoka, The Vatican's number three remarried them at a private Papal chapel under St. Peter's Basilica adjacent to Pope John Paul II tomb.

Bill was educated at All Hallows high school by the Irish Christian Brothers who gave him great character. He graduated from Fordham University with a bachelors degree. He and Patricia had one child, Bill. He worked in the family business until 1992 when he became Chief of Staff and right hand to the late Zachary Fisher, the philanthropist who saved the Intrepid Sea Air Space Museum where he remained as its President for almost 20 years...

Bill is survived by Patricia, Bill and Bryan and over 80 plus nieces, nephews, cousins, spouses and children thereof. He adored them all.

Published in Newsday on June 7, 2015

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