Hon. William L. Hadden, Jr.
December 23, 1925 ~ September 17, 2017
The Honorable William L. Hadden, Jr., 91, of Hamden, husband of the late Helen Murray Hadden, passed away Sunday September 17, 2017 after a brief illness. Father of Katherine H. Auron and her husband Marshal Auron of Charlotte, NC and William L. Hadden, III and his wife Sarah Hadden of Manchester Village, VT. Grandfather of Kimberly Auron, Michael Auron, William L. Hadden, IV, Carolyn Hadden and Whitney Ann Hadden. Brother of the late David C. Hadden and Mary Anne Zimmerling. Bill was born in New Haven December 23, 1925; a son of the late William L. Hadden Sr. and Mary McNamara Hadden, attended West Haven High School, and graduated from Hopkins. He served in the US Army from 1944-1945, and graduated from the University of Connecticut in 1950. He received his law degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1953 and was admitted to the Connecticut bar the same year. Judge William L. Hadden, Jr. was appointed to the Superior Court in October of 1974, and presided over more capital murder cases than any other judge in Connecticut. He served as a member of the Executive Committee of the Judges and as the Administrative Judge of the New Haven Judicial District. Judge Hadden became a state referee in 1995 and continued in that capacity until 2015. Prior to becoming a judge, Judge Hadden served as a member of the Hamden Representation Town Meeting in 1957, as an Assistant Town Attorney in Hamden from 1957 to 1961, as a State Representative from Hamden from 1961-1963 and as Town Attorney for Hamden from 1963-1966. He was president of the Connecticut Association of Municipal Attorneys in 1966 and was a member of the state Public Utilities Commission from 1972-1974. He had served as a Board member with the Hamden Hall Country Day School, and the AAA-CT Motor Club. Bill also was a communicant of St. Rita Church, and a longtime member of the Hamden Rotary Club, from which he received the Paul Harris Award. He also was a member of the New Haven Country Club and the Quinnipiack Club. Bill's favorite pastime for most of his life was golf. Whether at the New Haven Country Club with his friends, during his annual trips to Florida, or on TV, he always loved the sport. Bill also followed closely the lives of his 5 grandchildren and their various and wide ranging activities. He attended many of their graduations and sporting events and loved to hear about what was coming next in their lives. Bill loved his family, his job, his golf, and his friends. Funeral from BEECHER & BENNETT, 2300 Whitney Ave., Hamden Monday morning, September 25 at 10:30. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in St. Rita Church, Hamden at 11 AM. Interment will follow in Beaverdale Memorial Park. Friends may visit with his family on Sunday from 4-7 PM at the funeral home. Contributions in his memory may be sent to the Whitney Center Foundation, 200 Leeder Hill Drive, Hamden, CT 06517 or to the First Tee, 55 Gold Club Rd., Cromwell, CT 06416.
So sorry to lose Bill, a friend and supporter, a humanitarian and gentleman.
Bill: Kate and I, and Michael and Kelly are sorry to learn of the passing of your father. We have many fond memories of spending time with him at various gatherings. He was an engaged listener, a spirited conversationalist, and always good for an enjoyable story shared with a twinkle in his eye and a keen sense of humor. He lived a good life. He will be fondly remembered by all who were lucky enough to know him. Our thoughts and prayers to you, Sarah, Carrie, Will and Whitney.
I served as a judge in the New Haven courthouse for several years with Judge Hadden, a wise, savvy, and hard-working judge who could be counted on to be fair to those who came before him. He pretended to have a curmudgeonly side but could always be teased out of it, and he was respected wide and far. He will be missed. I send my sincere sympathy to his family.