On Sunday June 15, William Henry Darrow II, loving husband and father of two, passed away at the age of 78.

Bill was born on May 30, 1947, in the Bronx, New York to the late William Lawrence Darrow and Martha Beatrice D’Amore. Bill was the oldest of four children. He was raised in New Rochelle, New York. After grade school at Holy Family, he attended Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, where he played football and was varsity captain in his senior year.

After Stepinac, Bill followed in his father’s footsteps and went to the University of Notre Dame. He majored in government and international law. Like all “Domers,” Bill loved every minute of his four years at ND.

Late in 1969, Bill began his five-decade-long finance career with 15 years at Chemical Bank, predecessor institution to JP Morgan Chase, where he rapidly rose to become chief credit officer of the bank’s Real Estate Division.

Highly respected in his field, he moved on to hold senior leadership positions in a number of firms managing multi-billion-dollar loan and property portfolios at CenTrust/Dade Savings & Loan, Prudential Bache Securities, Banque Indosuez, Mansfield Partners, and Wellsford Real Properties, before starting his own consulting company. Bill was well known to always enjoy a good “Tanqueray martini” at the closing of a big deal or completion of a project.

Throughout his life Bill was motivated by three major themes — his career in finance, his joy in the game of golf, and most importantly, his devotion to family.

The confluence of these forces created an encompassing drive that required energy, time, intelligence, and unwavering commitment. Bill’s determination gave him the confidence to strive for accomplishment, accept failures, and experience joy. Bill was generous with friends, had a good sense of humor, and was fun to be around.

Bill met Mary Jane Warburton in Manhattan. After they were married, they lived and worked in New York City for several years. They would often visit Mary Jane’s parents, Jane and Bill Warburton, in Maryland. Bill learned the game of golf from his father-in-law (a two handicap).

In 1979 Bill and Mary Jane bought a home in New Canaan. Daughter Kelly was born in September of that year. In 1984 the family moved to Miami where son Bill was born. Finally relocating to Darien for the rest of Bill’s business career, the children grew up and started their own careers and families. In retirement Bill chose to live in Arizona where the sun shines every day!

Bill has now left this world, and it will take time for family and friends to accept the permanence of this final separation. He was preceded in death by his father, Larry, his mother, Martha and his brother, Michael. Bill is survived by his wife, Mary Jane; and his two children, Kelly and Bill; two grandchildren, Wellesley Jane and Quinnton Ekkehard; and sisters, Ellen Mary Wright and Barbara Blake.

A funeral service and Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Thomas More Church at 374 Middlesex Road, Darien at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025. Immediately following the Mass, the interment will take place at St. Francis Garden Cemetery directly behind the Church.

Donations may be made in Bill’s memory to Smilow Cancer Hospital, YNHH Development, PO Box 1849, New Haven, CT 06508.

— an obituary from the Camino Del Sol obituaries website, where onlline condolences may be left