William Sebastian Bartolotta, Sr.

Dr. William S. Bartolotta, a resident of Montgomery Village, MD, and formerly of Virginia Beach, VA, passed away peacefully in hospice care on March 29, 2026. Known to all as “Bill,” he was the beloved husband of Margaret "Peg" Bartolotta, with whom he shared 62 years of marriage.   A native of Connecticut, Bill earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Hartt School of Music of the University of Hartford.  During a tour of duty with the U.S. Army, he came to Hampton Roads VA as an instructor at the Armed Forces School of Music at Little Creek. In 1974, Bill earned his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Catholic University under the trumpeter Lloyd Geisler.  His distinguished career included three years of service in the U.S. Army, 37 years on the Music Department Faculty of Old Dominion University, and 31 years as a member of the Virginia Symphony. He concertized extensively with the ODU Brass Quintet, and shared his expertise with private trumpet students. Even in retirement, his passion for music continued as he arranged musical pieces for instrumental ensembles.                                                                                                                                                                                         

Beyond his professional life, Bill was known for his quiet wit, patience, and easy presence. He was a devoted fan of Frank Sinatra and enjoyed tinkering with his computer, making clever home improvements, watching movies, and playing card games. He cherished summers spent with family and friends at The Sound Castle, the family cottage in Point Harbor, NC, and in retirement, traveled extensively throughout the USA and Europe with Peg and his in-laws, Betty and Jim McManus.                                                                                                                           

 

Bill is survived by his loving wife Peg, and his children Maria B. Lostoski (Steve), Gina B. Faber (Joe), William S. Bartolotta, Jr. (Lynn), Anthony J. Bartolotta (Haley), and Nicholas L. Bartolotta (Amanda). He was the proud “Papa” to 11 devoted grandchildren: Julia, William III, Elena, James, Christian, Theodore, Brandon, Anthony Jr., Kathryn, Oliver, and Isabella. He was preceded in death by his grandchild Carolina Josephine Faber.                                                                                                                                                                                          

A memorial service will be held at 10:30 am on Monday, April 20, 2026, at St. Rose of Lima Historic Chapel in Gaithersburg, MD. A gathering of family and friends will follow in the Woodlands Room.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Bill’s name to Montgomery Prince George's Hospice of Maryland.