William T. Bristol

William T. Bristol, 85, passed away peacefully on July 16, 2020, following several months of declining health. He is survived by his beloved wife of 22 years, Olga Bristol and grandchildren, Anthony Alday and Nicole Alday and 2 great grandchildren; former spouse, Virginia Bristol, daughters, Marcy Bristol and Roxanne Bristol Bell (Daniel); grandchildren, Bryan Chiarelli, Brandon Chiarelli, Katie Bell, Matthew Bell, and Aidan Bell and 4 great grandchildren; nephews, John Bristol and Tim Bristol. He was preceded in death by his parents Walter and Leora Bristol and his brother, Robert Bristol.

William was born on July 6, 1935 in Nogales, AZ to father, Walter Lewis Bristol the Nogales postmaster and mother, Leora Bristol, who was a schoolteacher. Bill and his older brother, Bob grew up in Nogales, AZ. Bill graduated from Nogales High School in 1953 and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from ASU in 1957. His work ethic and desire to care for his family led him to enlist in the Army, 9th Infantry Division. Upon returning from the Army, he earned his master’s degree at NAU. Following in his mother’s footsteps, he embarked on a 25 year teaching career for Nogales Unified School District, primarily teaching Industrial Arts to multiple generations of Nogalians before retiring in 1990.

His retirement was the beginning of a new chapter where Bill was able to indulge in the pursuits he loved; traveling, scuba diving, hunting, and dancing. He was member of the Desert Divers and spent many Thanksgivings on the beach in San Carlos, Mexico. He looked forward to going on hunting trips with his lifelong friends. He also enjoyed traveling with his family to places like Greece, Spain, Australia, Hawaii and his favorite, Mexico. He loved to listen to live music and dance. He was a member of the Elks club, American Legions, VFW, and an associate member at the Marine Corps League, where he liked to dance and socialize.

In 2017, he sold his childhood home in Nogales, AZ and moved to Tucson, AZ where he passed away. He was very proud of his family. The world has lost a great son, husband, father, tata and teacher.

Services will be Friday, July 24, 2020 beginning with a visitation from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Followed by a memorial service at 11:00 a.m. at Martinez Funeral Chapel, 891 W. Mariposa Road, Nogales, AZ 85621. Burial interment will proceed at Nogales Cemetery.

Because of these difficult times and unusual circumstances Covid-19 has caused, we ask that you follow health and government guidelines and wear a mask if you are planning on attending. Also be aware that the chapel is limited to half of its capacity, therefore 50 people. Thank you for your understanding.