William Mincarelli

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William (Bill) Mincarelli passed away at the age of 86 on July 30, 2020.

He was born on March 18, 1934 in Harrison to the late John and Mary (Bianco) Mincarelli.

The family moved to Andes in 1948, and William resided in the area for the balance of his life.

Bill graduated Andes Central School in 1953 and served in the United States Army. Bill worked in construction for a short period of time prior to beginning his 30+ year career in law enforcement. He served as a law enforcement officer with the New York City Board of Water Supply (BWS) Police during the building of the Cannonsville Reservoir and with the New York State (NYS) Department of Environmental Conservation Police as the Conservation Officer (CO) for Delaware County.

His career afforded Bill work aligned with his passion to be outdoors. As a teenager, he was known to “hunt his way home after a day at school.” Our world was much different back then. Bill often said the best part of hunting and fishing was the preparation and joy of being out with nature. He was an avid hunter, archer, and fisherman, specifically fly fishing. In later years, he even took up golf and enjoyed the local golf courses in Delhi and Franklin. During his lifetime he traveled across the United States and world meeting new people and pursuing his passion of the outdoors. Locations of Alaska, Colorado, Canada, Maine, South Carolina, Newfoundland, and as far away as China provided the backdrops for his hunting and fishing adventures. He attended the Eastern Traditional Archery Rendezvous held in Denton Hills, Pa., for many years, reconnecting each year with people he had met. Bill was a member of the Walton Mountain Sportsman’s Club and spent many hours there hunting, shooting skeet and socializing. He was a member of the National Rifle Association and strongly believed in preserving our constitution. Always on the go in retirement, Bill once confided, “Retirement is great - I get paid to do what I love!” He taught his daughters the skills to shoot, reload and fish and spent many weekends helping them hunt the whitetail of the Catskills. He passed on unwritten rules of sportsmanship - never shoot a deer head down drinking water, don’t shoot a mom with young ones in tow, always track your wounded, listen to the animals, smell the earth, only harvest what you need, enjoy the experience, hunting is about being one with nature, anything other is just killing. They traveled to Nunavik, Canada on a hunt for Caribou, an adventure which was talked about many years after. He passed on traits of hard work, fearlessness, attention to detail and tenacity that have proved beneficial through the years.

Cooking and wine making were other hobbies which Bill enjoyed with his friends. He was especially proud of the wonderful Grappa they made, for which only a few know the secret ingredient.

Bill enjoyed time spent with his grandchildren in Boston and at his home and the family farm. He passed on to them his love of the outdoors, teaching them canoing, archery, firearms safety, shooting and golfing. In the winter he enjoyed watching them learn to ski and snowboard at Plattekill Mountain in Roxbury. 

We will remember his love for the outdoors. The smell of his tobacco, his iconic wool red and black checkered shirts, coat and cap and his gray striped hunting pants. We will remember him sitting calmly on a stone wall or at the base of a tree, present - yet invisible. We will remember him taking a rest laying face up on the tundra floor feeling the snow gently falling on his face. We will remember his words; walk on the balls of your feet and don’t break that twig, gently squeeze the trigger, don’t anticipate, and hold your breath for that second, gently let the string flow off the tips of your fingers. We will remember his words “Do your best” and when in a business meeting, “Kick them in the shins so they remember you.” We will remember the childish smile, and look for confirmation and acceptance in his twinkly eyes during his later years. We will remember him sitting at his table, our table, your table - coffee cup or glass of wine in hand enjoying a meal - conversing, debating, lecturing, or telling stories. 

Bill is survived by his sister, Delores LaChance of Saugerties, and brother Sonny Mincarelli of Lovingston, Va.; the mother of his children, Ruth Powell, of Lovingston, Va.; his four daughters, Diane Mincarelli (Jay Johnson) of Corinth, Ky., Debbie Mincarelli (Preston Miller) of Charlottesville, Va., Delores Mincarelli (Terry Cole) of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Denise Mincarelli Gardner (Gary Gardner) of Saugerties; his grandchildren, Robert Emmett O’Neill Jr. (Emmett) and John H. O’Neill IV (Jay) both of Boston, Mass., and Shannon Margaret O’Neill of New York; and several nieces and nephews.

The family wishes to recognize and thank Lori Nelson of LaValley’s Loving Care Home in East Branch, and her family and staff for lovingly caring for Bill the past eight years. Their care and dedication to him and our family has been priceless.

A graveside service will be held at Andes Cemetery in Andes, on Aug. 8, at 11 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in the name of William Mincarelli to the New York Conservation Officer Association (NYCOA) for a scholarship in his name, NYCOA, PO Box 31, Newfane, NY 14108.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Courtney Funeral Home, Walton. To leave a message for Bill’s family visit his online tribute at www.courtneyfh.com.