ToquiNotes: A Friend to the End and a Friend to City of Bridgeport - Recalling the Life of Bill McCartney
By Jeff Toquinto on March 28, 2026 from ToquiNotes
I am not sure of the exact time I met William Howard “Bill” McCartney. What I am sure of is that it was likely in the early 1990s when his son, Billy, played for one of the top teams in Bridgeport High School history under the late Coach Bill Kerns.
From that point forward, I was Bill McCartney’s friend. As I came to find out in the decades that would follow, Bill McCartney was a friend to 
his community, a friend to his family, and a friend to anyone who sought his friendship.
his community, a friend to his family, and a friend to anyone who sought his friendship.
As many of you know, on March 17, Bill McCartney passed away. He was 91 years young.
Long-time Bridgeport High School educator Alice Rowe shared the news with me that Bill had passed. Rowe, whose DNA can be found in the foundation of Bridgeport High School, was letting me know about a person whose DNA can be found in the very fabric of the community.
Bill McCartney was Bridgeport. He represented everything that was right about the community. And he was fiercely proud to call it his home.
Not only did he spend all 90-plus years as a resident, but he was also a 1952 graduate of BHS. I imagine he knew long before he wore the cap and gown at BHS that he was not going anywhere. And when talking about his father, Billy McCartney made me feel even more 
certain about that assessment.
certain about that assessment.
“He never left. He never thought about leaving,” Billy said. “He loved the city and everybody in the community. He would give me weekly updates of what was going on and would advise me on the middle school players that were going to be the next great Bridgeport High School athletes.
“He would call with the football scores because he was proud of the student-athletes,” he continued. “He took pride not just in that, but pride in what everybody in the community did to make Bridgeport a special place. I know he felt that was his entire life and always tried to give back and be a good person.”
Perhaps I knew, or perhaps my nearing-60 age brain forgot, but his obituary reminded or informed me that after serving for four years in the United States Air Force during the Korean War, he became a volunteer fire fighter in the city.
This was at a period when volunteers were more plentiful, and McCartney worked his way up through the ranks. He started in the 1960s, and when he stepped away in 1970, he was the chief.
Honestly, I do not recall Bill McCartney ever talking about the service he gave his city (or his country for that matter). He saw it as no big deal.
“He didn’t talk much about it to his family. If he did talk about it, he never talked about being the chief. He would talk about just being there,” said Billy. “He just loved the purpose of serving and the camaraderie there. You also have to keep learning if you’re in the fire business and he enjoyed that. He kept learning his entire life.”
There was more about McCartney that put him that rare air of quietly iconic Bridgeport individuals. He coached youth sports, and quite well, in Bridgeport where his 1985 Bridgeport Little League squad won the title and his 1986 Jerry West team did the same in basketball.
During that same time, he was establishing himself at CNG Transmission. Again, he rose to through the ranks and retired after 25 years as 
a manager. I am betting he was a good man to work for.
a manager. I am betting he was a good man to work for.
Well before his retirement, well into his professional career, and every day since, Bill McCartney was a friend a friend would love to have.
Going back to my days running The Bridgeport News at The Blake Center and including a few stops at my current gig when our offices were at Charles Pointe, Bill McCartney and his local group of friends would stop by for a visit. McCartney, ever mindful of everyone else, would also end the visits by letting the group know that “Jeff has to get back to work.”
“Those friendships that he had he deeply valued,” said Billy. “When you’re with your friends as long as my father was with his friends, you go through some stuff. I saw it with his best friend. When my father was battling lymphoma years ago, Don (Baldini) was there. He took him to appointments, he made sure he had his meds, and made sure my dad still saw people.
“When Don was battling issues recently, he returned the favor. He would never leave the side of a friend in need,” he continued. “My dad cared for people in the same manner he cared for Bridgeport, and that was very deeply.”
Baldini knows all about those friendships. He was part of a crew that would be seen at any place at any time. Guys like Dick Duez, Jim Kinney, John Walker, Dean Hartzell, and several others who I apologize for not mentioning, and several more who have since passed away. The group was a walking encyclopedia of city news and goodwill.
“He was a loyal friend to me and so many people, and a friend I loved. When I was sick recently he would take me to the doctor and do all he could to help me,” said Baldini, who said their friendship spans more than 70 years. “He was just so kind. The thing I want people to know is what he never let people know. I don’t think anyone has any idea of how many people he took care of every day. Whether it was family or friend, it didn’t matter. If you needed help, you didn’t have to ask. It was there.”
Baldini said his near life-long friend learned about being there, working hard, and doing things right at an early age. In fact, he said along with his time as being the fire chief, he worked for his father.
“I still remember him working at his dad’s service station; working in a grease pit doing everything you could imagine,” said Baldini of what he said was Cecil McCartney’s Service Station on Main Street. “That still makes me smile.”
If you were wanting to make Bill McCartney smile, all you had to do was ask him about family. His wife Margaret has been by his side for 56 years. She was the love of his life at home, in the community, the church front, and beyond. In fact, the two were deacons at the Bridgeport Baptist Church.
I never asked what brought him the most joy, but I knew the thing the couple was happiest about was his son Billy and Billy’s family, which 
included three grandchildren. Any time I asked about how Billy was doing, he immediately talked about his son as a father and a husband and the grandchildren.
included three grandchildren. Any time I asked about how Billy was doing, he immediately talked about his son as a father and a husband and the grandchildren.
Understand Bill McCartney’s son is a successful businessman by any standard anywhere. Yet, he never mentioned his career, which is certainly bragworthy, outside of his son coming to town for an event that involved West Virginia University. Beyond that, it was the grandkids.
“He was such a good grandfather to my three kids. He regularly texted them, send jokes, send pictures, and they would do the same,” said Billy. “He loved spending time with them when we were together.”
Billy said he would text his father photos from school and sporting events of his kids’ accomplishments. And when he arrived back in Bridgeport for a visit, dad always had a surprise waiting.
“He would have a 16x20 photo up of Little League championships, my daughter’s tennis competitions, proms, school pictures … he adored his family,” said Billy. “You know, he adored my mom, and it was such a life lesson to see.
“I never saw my dad upset too many times, but when it came to my mom’s health, he would open up to me,” he continued. “He did that because he cared for her and lover her so much. The main purpose in his life, until the very last moment, was his wife.”
For the person that cared so much for his family, he somehow found time to care for his friends and community. Baldini said his crew was aware of it.
“Other than family, Bridgeport was the most important thing to him. He lived and breathed Bridgeport and was concerned about the residents,” Baldini, who emphasized his friend’s love for dogs, said. “I hope people appreciate all he did for this community in his own special way.”
Those that knew him know of his importance to the community. Those who did know of him, hopefully, now know.
They know Bill McCartney was a good husband, father, grandfather, and friend. And he was a servant to the community he loved.
Rest in Peace Bill. Your work here is done.
Editor's Note: Top photo shows Bill McCartney during his days as a volunteer with the Bridgeport Fire Department, while he is shown with WVU Coach Bob Huggins and his son Billy in the second photo. Third image shows part of McCartney's crew, from left, Richard "Dick" Duez, Jim Kinney, McCartney, and Don Baldini. In the fourth photo, Bill and wife Margaret are shown with son Billy, his wife Christie, and the three grandchildren, while he is shown whit his son and wife in the fifth photo. Bottom photo, from several years ago, shows the group - several of whom have passed - having another session together. Shown seated, from left, are Dick Moore, McCartney, Kinney, Baldini and Bob Atkins. Standing are Dean Hartzell and Duez.
