Obituary

From Staten Island Advance on January 3, 2021:

 

With heavy hearts we acknowledge the passing of William "Bill" Abbey Ince on December 20, 2020 after a short illness.

 

Bill resided in Sarasota, Florida and spent his summers on Staten Island, New York, with Monika, his wife of almost 58 years. Born in Brooklyn, New York to Eric and Mary Ince, Bill attended Regis High School, St. John's University for his undergraduate degree and Columbia University for a master's degree. After a stint in advertising for the Arthur Godfrey show, a friend suggested that Bill explore teaching, which he did. Teaching suited Bill well. He eventually became the head of the English Department at Stuyvesant High School, where he attended to students from the far corners of the world, offering them windows into the great books across many traditions. Along the way, Bill started an annual New York City high school poetry event. In his latter years he ventured out to those far corners of the earth with Monika in their travels.

 

In addition to Monika, he leaves behind his daughter Deirdre Modesti (Claudius), his son Christopher Ince (Lina), three grandchildren and three nieces and nephews from his sister Julie McGuiness, who predeceased him.

 

In the deserts of the heart
Let the healing fountain start,
In the prison of his days
Teach the free man how to praise.
W.H. Auden, "In Memory of W.B. Yeats."