Bill “Billy Bart” Bartholomew of Stony Point, New York, and Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, passed away on February 28, 2024, after a long and courageous battle with 9/11-related multiple myeloma at 64 years young.

To know Billy was to love him, or to butt heads with him and love him anyway. He is remembered by his two daughters, Briella and Caroline; the love of his life, Kat; his three bonus kids, Kelly, Robert, and Thomas; his siblings, Artie and Lynda; and many, MANY friends who became his chosen family.

Bill grew up in Blauvelt, New York, and graduated from Tappan Zee High School in 1977, alongside his lifelong group of friends that he considered brothers. Bill was as strong and as brave as they come. He served as a firefighter in the FDNY and always ran toward danger for the sake of helping others. He often said that despite knowing what health ailments would later come after 9/11, he would do it all over again if it meant helping others. After his diagnosis in 2015, he spent the last nine years living his life to the absolute fullest, loudly and without regret. He referred to them as the best and happiest years of his life. Bill spent most of this time in his happy place, Hilton Head Island, in the dream home that he built for his family, where he was still dancing with Kat and golfing with friends two weeks before his passing.

There is no better quote to describe Bill’s fight than, “When you die, that does not mean you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and the manner in which you live.” Bart did not lose his battle with cancer. He beat his cancer with his love of life.

He will forever be remembered playing air guitar in his infamous jean jacket with a stained Salty Dog T-shirt underneath. If he owes you a beer, he’ll gladly let you buy him another in Heaven. You will be sure to find him relaxing in his big, comfy chair, with a cold one in hand and his chocolate lab, Chelsea, at his feet.

We love you so much, Dad, Billy, Bart. We hope it is five o’clock forever up there.