Father William Cowan Cahill, 85

Father William Cowan Cahill, 85, of Saratoga Springs, formerly of Hamilton, died Nov. 15 at Teresian House in Albany.

Father Cahill was born May 30, 1935, in Utica, son of the late Richard W. Cahill II and Gertrude Irene Biel Cahill, and was a graduate of St. Francis de Sales High School. He graduated from St. Andrew’s and St. Bernard’s Universities in Rochester and Theological College in Washington, D.C. He was ordained on May 20, 1961.

Father Cahill served several parishes in Skaneateles, Syracuse, Fayetteville, Utica, Canastota and Rome. He also obtained a graduate degree in counseling from Syracuse University. He was the pastor of St. Mary’s Church in Hamilton from 1978-88 and then served as chaplain for the Oneida Correctional Facility for 25 years until retiring in 2007. He was a resident of Saratoga Springs for many years and also of Marco Island, Fla.
He is survived by his brother, Richard W. Cahill III, and wife, Sandra; brother-in-law, Charles Roy Baker; nieces and nephews: Richard W. (Kathryn) Cahill IV; Steven Cahill; Anne (Hunter) Hansen; great-nieces and nephews: Creighton Cahill; Troy and Scarlett Hansen; David, Christopher and Kimberly Baker; and many cousins. He is also survived by his close friends, Edmund B. and Carol Wutzer of Loudonville. He was predeceased by two sisters, Nancy Cahill Baker and Beverly Theresa Cahill and a nephew, Jeff Baker.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held Nov. 20 at St. Mary’s Church in Hamilton with interment at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Hamilton.