Surrounded by his loving family, J. William "Bill" Hornby, age 86, passed away after a short illness on Tuesday, November 1, 2022. Bill was born in Fall River MA to the late Elizabeth and James Hornby and was predeceased by his wife and the mother of his three children, Janice E. Hornby.

A textile engineer, Bill received his BS Degree in Textile Manufacturing from Bradford Durfee Technical Institute in Fall River. He continued his education by earning his Master's Degree at the Institute of Textile Technology in Charlottesville, Virginia.  Bill worked at Malden Mills/Polartec  for thirty nine years holding a number of positions including Process Superintendent and Engineer, Technical and Maintenance Manager, and Product Development in R and D where he was instrumental in the invention and development of the Polartec product.  In addition to his work in Lawrence, he spent several years in Bridgton, Maine as the Plant Manager at the Bridgton Knitting Mill. Bill's final years in his career provided him with the opportunity to develop a great appreciation of German culture and people as he participated in the establishment of the Gorlitz Fleece manufacturing plant in Gorlitz, Germany. For a duration of five years, Bill travelled bi-weekly to Gorlitz providing training in the theoretical and practical aspects of textile development. His experience in Gorlitz was among his most valued of a long and successful career. Bill maintained his long connection with Malden Mills through his creation and planning of a popular annual Malden Mills Reunion.

Bill's recreational pursuits were many and often involved entertaining family and friends. He and his wife, Terry, were at their happiest hosting gatherings and watching sunsets at their summer home on Lake Ossipee, NH.  An avid collector,  Bill never missed the opportunity to stop at a yard sale. He loved a good card game and actually  maintained a monthly poker game for over 50 years. As a season ticket holder for both the Celtics and the Red Sox, Bill not only enjoyed the games but also relished the challenge of finding a free parking space in Boston. His positivity was obvious to all who knew him and he will be remembered as a loving and generous to family and friends.

Bill will be greatly missed by his wife of 30 years, Theresa Hornby; his children and their spouses, Karen (Hornby) and James Stavrakas of Greenville,  South Carolina; Sheila Hornby and Marcus Falco of Salem, New Hampshire; and  Michael and Kim Hornby of Newtown, Connecticut;  his brother Donald Hornby of Fall River, Massachusetts; his step-children Mike and Karen (Morris) Powers of Haverhill, Massachusetts; Kristen (Morris) and John Tirrell of Gainesville, Virginia, and Jennifer Morris of Amesbury, Massachusetts; his grandchildren Ryan, Jake, Laura, Sarah, William, Brielle, Samantha, Mitchell, Jackson, Matthew and Emma.