William L. "Bill" Goneau, 56, of Bristol passed away unexpectedly on Friday Dec. 31, 2021. He was the beloved husband of Melissa A. Borgia. He was the son of the late William and Jean Marie (Van Buskirk) Goneau from Bellingham, Mass.

Bill's sense of humor and love of life made him a friend to all who knew him. He was a generous man with a huge heart and was the first to help anyone who asked. Bill was a common thread, joining separate groups of people into a fellowship of friends. At every gathering, Bill was at the heart and center. Above all he loved being with his family and was always adding to it with new friends and colleagues.

Always on the go, Bill was active in competitive volleyball, hiking, skiing, poker, and wine making. Bill loved the arts: enjoying theater and live performances ranging from a capella, to the Dropkick Murphys, to the bagpipes, which were hallmarks of his Scottish pride. He travelled far and wide and could even be found swimming with the sharks in South Africa.

His professional career began at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and continued for 28 years with SEACORP in Middletown, RI. During his career Bill enjoyed mentoring and taught many fellow employees the meaning of being a professional engineer. Bill was highly regarded as an expert in the multitude of submarine systems he worked with.

In addition to his wife Melissa, Bill leaves behind his children: Emilie and Benjamin Signore; his dear ones Jillian, Olivia, and Bethany Borgia; his siblings Michelle Antinarelli (husband Steve), Randy Goneau (wife Beth); his nieces and nephews Nicole, Demi, Zachary, Max and Lily, and many extended family, friends and colleagues. All are left wishing for one more laugh, one more joke, one more party, one more visit from this man who lived every minute.

Out of an abundance of caution, services will be private at this time. A public service will be held in the Spring. Please visit www.billgoneau.com for details. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America ( https://www.bbbs.org/) in grateful acknowledgement of how he met his Big Brother Hillar Haan when he was just nine years old.

For obituary and online condolences please visit www.sansonefuneralhome.com