William Stephanak Obituary

William F. Stephanak, D.D.S.
Norwalk native William Francis Stephanak, D.D.S. passed away peacefully, surrounded by his children, on July 15, 2025 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He was 93 years old. He was predeceased by his wife, Joan Leonard Stephanak (2012); his son, William F. Stephanak, Jr. (Billy, 1980); and his second wife, Nancy Leonard O'Connor (2025).
As his family reflects on his long and remarkable life, they are asking themselves: what didn't this man do?
Bill was born in Norwalk Hospital on August 16, 1931 to William H. and Frances Stephanak. He attended St. Mary's School and graduated from Fairfield College Preparatory School in 1949. At Prep, Bill was a force to be reckoned with on the football field, the same field his grandson, Tucker Shanley, would play on decades later. After Prep, Bill graduated with honors in 1953 from College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA. He continued his medical education at Georgetown University School of Dentistry in Washington, D.C. where he received his D.D.S. degree in 1957. He did his post-graduate oral surgery training at Bellevue Hospital in New York City and earned his degree in oral surgery from New York University's Dental College in 1959. He was a diplomate of the American Board of Oral Surgery and a member of the American Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.
In July of 1958, Bill married the love of his life, Joan Lillian Leonard, at St. Mary's Church, followed by a grand celebration at The Shore & County Club, where both the Leonard and Stephanak families were longtime members. In 1960, he "hung out a shingle," as he liked to say, establishing his oral surgery practice in his beloved hometown. That "shingle" hung proudly for 36 years. Doc patiently waited for cases to walk through his door while Joan, at home with their first child, Billy, was on standby as his on-call, and rather adorable, dental assistant. With excess time in the early days, Doc began giving back to his community, and so commenced his passionate and lifelong commitment to service, wholly embodying the Jesuit motto: "Men for Others." Eager to make a difference civically and professionally, he accepted numerous and varied positions in and around Norwalk. In the early 1960s, he became the president of the Norwalk High School Father's Club and the Parish Home School Association and Lay Advisory Board at St. Thomas the Apostle. Additionally, he was a board member of the Kiwanis Club of Norwalk and the local branch of the American Red Cross. He was the 1963 chairman of the United Way Campaign, and in 1970, he became a board director of the Fairfield County Savings Bank, a position he held for 34 years. He was an enthusiastic longtime member of the Catholic Club of Norwalk.
As a pillar of our community, it is no surprise that in 1965, Bill was appointed Police Commissioner of Norwalk by then-mayor, Frank N. Zullo. That same year, the Norwalk Jaycees named him their "Outstanding Young Man of the Year." He lived up to that title far beyond his youth, devoting time to serving Norwalk's at-risk population. He worked with the Norwalk Emergency Shelter and Soup Kitchen for 24 years and was appointed to their original Board of Directors.
Somehow, Bill found the time to become accomplished in the medical field simultaneously. While on the surgical staff at Norwalk Hospital, he became the Section Chief of Dentistry and a Trustee. From 1986 to 1990, he was the Assistant Chief of Staff of Norwalk Hospital, the first dentist to hold that position, where he worked under longtime, dear friend Dr. Al Burke. In 1992, Bill was the recipient of the "Distinguished Service Award" from the hospital's Department of Surgery, another first for a dentist.
Bill retired from dentistry in 1996. Following his retirement, he volunteered for the St. Vincent de Paul Society and served as a Eucharistic minister at Norwalk Hospital. In 1999, Bill was installed as a Knight of Malta by Cardinal John J. O'Connor in a colorful ceremony at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City, an honor that acknowledged his devotion to others and furthered his work with underserved communities. In conjunction with the Knights of Malta, Bill was instrumental in the creation of Malta House at St. Thomas parish, a home in support of single mothers. Additionally, with the Knights, he traveled to Lourdes, France, in the role of hospitalier, acting as a helper to one of the sick ("malades") on pilgrimage there.
Though he was the recipient of many awards, including the Madison Sayles Award for the United Way (2006), Fairfield Prep's Latin Scholars Award (2008), and the inaugural recipient of the William F. Harrigan Alumni Achievement Award of the NYU College of Dentistry's Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (2010), the reality is that his greatest achievement was his family, to whom he was deeply devoted.
Bill is survived by his three children: Susan Stephanak Bell (Stu), Joan Stephanak Shanley (Tom), and Brian John Stephanak (Roz); and his seven grandchildren: Curren Bell Robbins (Kip), Kylie Bell Boeckle (Jesse), Ian Bell (Connor), Tucker Shanley (Gillian), Jane Shanley, Dobson Cooper, and Shane Cooper. Like the chocolate ice cream atop his favorite peach pie, Doc's family had the sweet fortune of making him a great-grandfather to Maisy Robbins, Casey Robbins, and Trip Shanley.
Whether he was working the room at a cocktail party, cruising to Overton's in his red MG, calling you "Tiger," or telling you the same joke over decades, his gift of gab and warm smile will be remembered and missed by all.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, July 25, 2025 at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 203 East Avenue, Norwalk, immediately followed by interment at St. John Cemetery, Norwalk.
The Stephanak Family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The St. Vincent de Paul Society Food Pantry, c/o St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 203 East Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06855.
For directions or to send an online condolence to her family, please visit www.Magnerfuneralhome.com.