Roy Wilson Wingate III, 101
Roy Wilson Wingate III, known as Will, passed away on September 26, 2026, at the age of 101. A World War II veteran, husband, father, grandfather, and greatgrandfather, he lived a life encompassing wartime service, world travel, a long career in construction, and 72 years of marriage to his beloved wife, Ann.
Wilson was born in 1925 to R. Wilson Wingate II and Dorothy Pillsbury Wingate. After graduating from high school in 1943, he joined the U.S. Maritime Service in New York, completing basic training followed by advanced training to become a ship's purser and pharmacist's mate. Will's first two voyages out of San Francisco carried military supplies to the Hawaiian and Marshall Islands. Aboard his third ship, the SS Chief Charlot, he sailed with a cargo of 7,000 tons of ammunition, lumber, and three fighter aircraft. After stopping at Hollandia, New Guinea, the ship joined others bound for the battle for the Philippines. There, they came under attack by Japanese aircraft. The ship's U.S. Navy Armed Guard and merchant seamen helped defend the vessels and were credited with downing an enemy fighter plane. After the war, Will served aboard the SS Sea Perch as it transported 2,000 German prisoners of war from Los Angeles to Le Havre, France, for their return home. The ship later embarked 1,400 American servicemen in Liverpool, England, bringing them home to New York. Upon arrival, Will received notice from the War Shipping Administration of his promotion from ensign to lieutenant, junior grade. Will subsequently worked as a purser aboard United Fruit Company ships, sailing through the Caribbean and Central America and carrying bananas to New Orleans. In 1951, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. Following basic training, he studied Russian for a year at Syracuse University before being stationed in Bremerhaven, Germany, with the 41st Radio Squadron Mobile. There, his work included intercepting and translating military communications for intelligence reports sent to Washington, D.C.
While stationed in Bremerhaven in 1952, Will met Ann Read, his future wife. Following his honorable discharge in 1954, they married in Waterloo, Iowa. Together, they raised five children.
Returning to civilian life, Will followed his father into the construction business. Over a career spanning 43 years, he managed the construction of schools, factories, and hospitals in Florida and Massachusetts. In his spare time, Will enjoyed writing true stories drawn from his life. Among his favorites was "Happy, A Dog Much Loved," about the black Labrador retriever who was part of the Wingate family for 12 years.
Will is survived by Ann Read Wingate, his beloved wife of 72 years, whose versatility, knowledge, and sense of humor he cherished; his sons, Bruce and his wife, Michelle; Andrew and his wife, Donna; James; Robert and his wife, Cristina; and his daughter, Carolyn. He is also survived by seven grandchildren, Chase, Ryane, Emily Ann, Emily Marie, Sadie, Sofia, and Alexander; and six great-grandchildren, Mila, Bear, Julian, Blue, Piper, and Phoebe.
A service will be held at the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home For Funerals in Mattapoisett on Thursday, October 1, 2026. Public visiting hours will be held from 9:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m with a service at 10:00 a.m. A private burial will take place at Quivet Neck Cemetery in East Dennis, Cape Cod. For online condolence book, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com
