Obituary of William I. Elliot

William I. Elliot

April 28, 1905 - January 3, 2007

Hampton Union, Friday, January 5, 2007

[The following article is courtesy of the Hampton Union and Seacoast Online.]
Bill Elliot, "The Singing Cop"

Hampton –- William I. Elliot, 101, a former resident of Dearborn Avenue, who lived in the house for 75 years he and his father built, died Wednesday, January 3, 2007 at the Rockingham County Nursing Home in Brentwood where he resided since September of 2002.

He was born in the Hyde Park section of Boston, MA, April 28, 1905, a son of the late John Henry and Alice (Ingham) Elliot.

Mr. Elliot attended elementary schools in Maine, Massachusetts and Hampton and was a graduate of Hyde Park High School with the Class of 1925 where he excelled in sports and held several records at one time in track and field in the Boston school system. He was also a four year letterman in football, baseball, and hockey. He was named Major General of all Boston school cadets as top cadet at Hyde Park High School following regimental competition. Following high school he participated in semi-pro football and baseball until age 43.

A professional singer and actor for 20 years, "Bill Elliot, The Singing Cop" sang over Boston and local area radio stations and acted dramatically on stage. He began singing at age 5 and later, while serving as a police officer for the Hampton Police Department, he began his professional singing career. Between his patrol duties at Hampton Beach he sang on the bandstand with the Hampton Beach Concert Band. He was also a dialectician and sang in six languages. In addition to his singing career he did play-by-play sport's announcing and served as a disc jockey on Boston and local area radio stations.

William "Bill" I. Elliot -- c. 1938

After a tumor in his vocal cord interrupted his career in singing, he became an underwriter for National Life Insurance Company of Vermont. He is past president of the NH Underwriters Association. He also founded and operated the Elliot Insurance Agency with other family members. He served as Executive Secretary for the Hampton Beach Chamber of Commerce for a number of years, was manager of the state park system at Hampton Beach, and was the first Executive Vice President of the Retail Merchants Association of NH. Early in his working life he was a master mason, plasterer, brick layer with the late Harry E. Carter of North Hampton.

He was an active member of the Hampton United Methodist Church for over 70 years, a member of the Hampton Historical Society and was past vice president of the National Association of Leavitt Families, Inc.

He was also a member of Orient Chapter #22 O.E.S. of Exeter; Past Master of St. James Lodge 102 F. & A.M. of Hampton, a member of Scottish Rite Bodies Valley of Portsmouth and Dover; NH Consistory, Valley of Nashua; Bektash Temple Shrine, Concord; East Gate Club of Seabrook; Oceanside Grange #260 of Hampton; and was an associate member of the Hampton Academy and Alumni Association.

He served as Scoutmaster for Troop 177, Hampton, in the 1920's and most recently as Assistant Scoutmaster of Troop 377, Hampton Falls. He was a long time merit badge counselor for Troop 377 and also for Troop 162, North Hampton and was still a registered merit badge counselor at the time of his death.

He was a member of the Hampton Budget Committee for 13 years many of which he served as vice chairman. He also served as Hampton School moderator. He was appointed by President Eisenhower to the National Committee of Rivers and Harbors. He was a member of Gov. Peterson's Council on Vocational and Distributive Education. He also represented New Hampshire under Governor Powell doing public relations work from Maine to Indiana for his state.

He was the husband of the late Alzena R. (Leavitt) Elliot for 77 years who predeceased him in 2004.

In addition to his wife, family members include one son, Wayne I. Elliot and his wife Betty of North Hampton, two daughters, June Chevalier and her husband Richard of Hampton, Holly Knowles and her husband Larry of Hampton Falls, 8 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren, 4 great great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

A sister, Alice Elliot Noyes, a half sister, Mary Hunter and three brothers, Benjamin Rhodes Smith Elliot, John Henry Elliot, Jr., and Robert O.E. Elliot predeceased him.

A celebration of his life will be held at 11 A.M., Monday, January 8, 2007 in the United Methodist Church, 525 Lafayette Road, Hampton. A Masonic service at 10:15 A.M. will precede the celebration of life service in the church. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited. Private interment will be in the High Street Cemetery, Hampton. The family requests there be no visiting hours and flowers please be omitted. If desired, donations may be made to the Seacoast Visiting Nurse Association, 29 Lafayette Road, North Hampton, NH 03862 or to Seacoast Hospice, 10 Hampton Road, Exeter, NH 03833. Arrangements are by the Remick & Gendron Funeral Home-Crematory, Hampton.