Bill Gault — a 4th generation member of Gault Family Companies, the local firm founded in 1863, and a quiet, devoted and generous contributor to many Westport causes throughout his long life here — died Tuesday, from complications after a fall.
He was 2 weeks shy of his 90th birthday.
William Leonard Gault was born on August 12, 1934, son of the late Howard Wheeler Gault and Georgiana Taylor Gault. He spent all his days on South Compo Road, where he grew up, raised his family and lived until his death.
He was married to Nancy Marsh Gault of Easton for 66 years. They had 2 children, Ginger and Sam.
Bill attended Staples High School. After graduating in 1952, he served in the Army for 2 years.
Bill Gault
After returning home he joined the family business, L.H. Gault & Son, which was founded by his great-grandfather. Bill cherished his leadership role as the 4th generation of the company. He became president in 1980, and spent the past 2 decades as chairman of the board.
Bill’s vision strengthened the Gault businesses through hard work, integrity, a commitment to quality and service, and a workplace built on trust, collaboration and respect.
Now in its fifth and sixth generation of leaders, the company proudly maintains his guiding principles.
Bill was deeply involved in the community he treasured. He served for many years on the board of directors and board of trustees for the Westport Weston Family YMCA, Westport Bank & Trust Company, and the Shellfish Commission.
He was a longtime Westport Rotarian, and a steady supporter of many local organizations.
He was also a leader in industry groups, including the New England Fuel Institute and Connecticut Energy Marketers Association.
Although deeply rooted in Westport, Bill was a world traveler. He visited the Arctic, Antarctica, and everywhere in between with his wife and family. He shared his love of travel and adventure with everyone.
He also enjoyed spending time at the Vermont family home.
Bill was an avid gardener. He took great pride in his lawn care and landscaping, which kept him active until his final days.
He was known as the family historian, showing a deep appreciation for his family and Westport history.
Bill is survived by his wife Nancy Marsh Gault; daughter Ginger Gault Donaher (James); son Samuel Gault (Nancy), grandchildren Megan Donaher Ventrella, Meredith Donaher White, Brendan Donaher, Jillian Gault and Ben Gault; great-grandchildren Sadie Ventrella, Grace Ventrella and Margot White; sister Judy Sterling, and nieces Lee Saveliff, Kelly Pollard, Karen Jacobs and their families.
His family says, “Bill was a hardworking, kind-hearted man who lived a life true to himself, and had family at his core.
“He will be remembered by those who loved him for his steadfast devotion and unwavering integrity, his adventurous spirit, his business and community stewardship, and his appreciation for life’s simple pleasures.”
A memorial service will be held Saturday, September 14 (11 a.m., Christ & Holy Trinity Church). In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Westport PAL (PO Box 3222, Westport, CT 06881), or the Norwalk Hospital Foundation (34 Maple Street, Norwalk CT 06856).
A heavyhearted loss for our town. Bill will forever stand as a testament to the Town we will never be again. My condolences to the Gault family.
I am so profoundly sorry to read this. I have known Bill and family for my entire life..As Mike Calise said a loss for our town indeed. My condolences to all the family.
Bill Gault was a quiet stalwart leader of the Westport community. There was a time when he was instrumental in keeping the Westport YMCA alive in his roles on the board of directors and the trustees.He could always be counted on to support an important community organization in need of assistance. A solid true friend with the highest level of integrity, he will be sorely missed. Condolences to the entire Gault family.
A life well lived. His generosity to the entire town has shaped and brought Westport to what it is today.
I’ll miss seeing him in front of his house, always tinkering in the garage or yard everyday no matter what.
I have been fortunate to have known Bill and Nancy Gault since the 1960s when we moved to town. But I really got to know what an incredible family the Gaults are when in 2000, I wrote their story, “From the Ground Up,” for Westport Magazine. A superb individual, it has been an honor to call Bill my friend.
So sad to read this. It’s like Westport has lost part of its forever family. My condolences to the Gault Family
I remember playing little league baseball in the early 60’s. The top league got to play in Gault Park, which had seats that were covered with poles holding up the roof–it was as close to a major league baseball stadium of that era as any of us would ever play in. Alas, the last time I walked on Riverside Avenue, it was no longer there. Other baseball diamonds remain, but none come as close to passing, with some imagination, to beinga major league stadium.
I am so sorry to hear this! My deepest condolences go out to the Gault family. I have known the Gault family for 30 years as I did their framing at Max’s Art Supplies, when Ginger was pregnant with Megan, and then when I came here to Rockwell Fine Custom Framing in Westport. I will always remember Bill’s smile and gentle demeanor and enjoyed talking with him when we were designing his latest framing project, even about water boilers when I was in the market for a new one he gave me a lot of advice. I will surely miss him as will the entire Westport community.
Tracing the threads of the Gault family’s history, evolving enterprises, and civic engagement in Westport, dating to the late 1840’s, offers a remarkable window into our community history, including residential energy history. In 2013, the Westport Historical Society produced an exhibit, “Five Generations of Yankee Ingenuity: the Gault Family,” which was much enriched by photos, artifacts and narrative shared by Bill Gault. In part due to his hands-on involvement in the family’s residential services business, he knew our town from the ground up, street-by-street, lot-by-lot. Plus, the Gaults were farmers, too. As our WHS Committee worked on the 2013 exhibit and the State of CT’s Barn Survey, I’ll never forget Bill’s tour of the Gault barns and farm equipment, and his sharing of forgotten wisdom to explain the contents of the loft: “A barn without hay is a falling-down barn.”
Sobs and sadness at the passing of Bill Gault. Got to know him around age 10-12, as Mr Gault, the dad of his son Sam, a Saugatuck Elementary and Westport Little League teammate. Dan’s words in this 06880 blog I can attest all be valid and true about Bill Gault and the Gault family.
One story to relate is the time Bill and his wife Nancy stopped by, in a surprise visit, maybe on foot from their home, about a mile or so away on South Compo Road, my dad’s residence at 2 Compo Parkway, across from the Longshore pillar entrance. Bill and Nancy wanted to see and appreciate, around 1979 or 1980 or so, the 25 foot by 25 foot patio my dad had just stone-masoned himself in a multi-year long, sweat-equity, do-it-yourself project, with all the flagstone and sand and stone dust purchased from LH Gault of Riverside Avenue at that time, some delivered, some picked up by car. The mutual respect of that moment was real and memorable. And the flagstone patio deck turned out fine then, and I reckon now, as only the current homeowner can attest this day. Condolences to Sam, Nancy, Ginger, and the entire Gault family.