William V. Polleys III, 90, of Scottsdale, Arizona, formerly from Edgewood, Barrington, and Warren, R.I., passed away at home on Dec. 3, 2021, following an extraordinarily vibrant and well-lived life, having fended off Parkinson’s Disease since 2005. He was the beloved husband of Nancy (Howes) Polleys for over 63 years.

Born in Providence, R.I., of late William V. Polleys Jr and Rosemary (Carr) Polleys, Bill earned a B.S. in Engineering at Brown University (’54) and joined the U.S. Navy as a fighter pilot, leaving in 1959 for an executive position at Texas Instruments. 

A career veteran at TI, he retired as President of the Materials and Controls Division in 1991. Bill’s business savvy, problem-solving capabilities, and knack for turning around troubled business lines were sought throughout the firm. 

Post-retirement, he returned to his first love – skiing, which started on toe strap skis at the age of 7 and spanned over 70 years, 50 of which as a certified professional ski instructor. Bill was the first National Freestyle Chairman with USSA and as Director of the Freestyle program at Waterville Valley, N.H., organized one of the first U.S. amateur freestyle ski competitions. Christened the Rosemary Bowl after his mother, it remains the nation’s longest running freestyle event. 

Bill was also an avid sailor, navigating waters wherever work took him, from the South China seas to his beloved Narragansett Bay. As an active member of the Barrington Yacht Club, he introduced windsurfing to Rhode Island in the early 1970s and was a long-time member of the Cruising Club of America. 

He was a member of the RI Society of the Sons of the American Revolution and the Society of Mayflower Descendants.

Bill is survived by his wife Nancy; daughters, Mary, Laurel and Catherine; and granddaughters, Kim, Lola, and Alyssa. He will be sorely missed.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation (EIN #13-1866796 / Parkinson.org).