William S. Godfrey

William "Bill" Godfrey passed away June 12, 2026 after a very brief battle with cancer. He was 79 years old.

Bill was born in Shorewood, Wisconsin on February 22, 1947, graduated from Shorewood High School in 1965, and went on to Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin, where he was a member of Phi Delta Theta, graduating in 1969. That same year, he married his high school sweetheart and the love of his life, Buffy and moved to Cedarburg.

For 33 years, Bill taught social studies at Cedarburg High School, retiring in 2002. He was also a football, basketball, cross country, and golf coach throughout his career — a constant presence in the life of the school, the students, and the community he called home.

In retirement, he did exactly what he wanted: fished, golfed, traveled, ate and drank well, spent time up north, and read — constantly and widely. He had a genuine love for the world and for the people in it.

Those who knew Bill will remember his intelligence, his calm, his patience, and his humor. He was the kind of person who made a room feel steadier just by being in it.

He lost his beloved Buffy in 2018 after nearly 57 years together. He is with her now.

Bill is survived by his children: Brian Godfrey; Becky (Craig Sinclair, son Cameron Sinclair) Godfrey; and Kristin (Patrick Curran) Godfrey; and his grandson, Liam (William) Curran — who carries his name and, we hope, something of his spirit.

He is reunited in death with his wife, Buffy (MacKinnon) Godfrey; his mother, Rose Nell (Magee) Godfrey; his father, Samuel William Godfrey; and his brother, John Frederick Godfrey.

A celebration of Bill's life will be held on Saturday, August 1 at 1:00 p.m. at Cedars III in Cedarburg, Wisconsin. Friends interested in sharing memories of Bill with the family may submit them at bit.ly/godfreymemories . In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Cedarburg Community Scholarship Fund to the Bill Godfrey Memorial Fund, for future Cedarburg grads pursuing a career in teaching cedarburgscholarship.org/ways-to-give