William H. Mayer III

Latham, NY-A skilled computer programmer, devoted father and husband, and lover of adventure, William H. Mayer III, of Latham, NY, died on February 9th, 2026. Bill was born in Brooklyn, NY on September 22, 1949, to Marilyn and William Mayer, Jr. He graduated from Half Hollow Hills High School in 1967. He graduated from the State University of New York at Potsdam in 1971 with a B.S. in Computer Science. Bill began working as a programmer with the State of New York after college, and continued his work there for the majority of his professional career. While working in Albany, Bill met his future wife, Sharon Alger. Immediately bonded by their kindness, humor, and zest for life, Bill and Sharon married June 10th,1989. They added two new little adventurers to the family, sons Chris and Dan. Bill was a well-regarded employee of the State of New York. During his career as a computer programmer, Bill lent his talents to a variety of departments; the most long-standing being the Office for Mental Health. As a member of the Systems Programming Group, Bill’s work was primarily focused on firewall governance and network security. He retired in 2007 while working with the Office for Technology. As a first-wave member of the Baby Boomer generation, Bill’s humor consisted of prototypical Dad jokes. He never failed to find the joke at the party, or the levity at a funeral. Bill embodied the archetypical life well-lived. At various points during his years, he was a private pilot, a glider pilot, a motorcycle rider, a hot air balloon crewman, an auto mechanic, a ham radio operator, an advanced skier, a hiker, a biker, a model railway enthusiast, a windsurfer, a collegiate swimmer, spelunker, and lover of adventure. Yet, he still managed to find true enjoyment in reading the morning paper over a bowl of oatmeal. Bill will be remembered for his humor, intelligence, and thoughtfulness. If he had one signature phrase, it might be, “Don’t go anywhere without a bathing suit and a Frisbee.” Sage advice our family will not soon forget. A beloved father, husband, brother, and uncle, we will miss Bill everyday. Bill was preceded in death by his wife Sharon Alger (by only 3 weeks), his parents, mother and father-in-law, Ruth and Harrison “Sparky” Alger. He is survived by his sons Christopher (Ellie) and Daniel Mayer, brothers Richard Mayer, Thomas Mayer, and Peter Mayer, brother-in-law Terrence Alger, sisters-in-law Nancy Strack (Rick) and Janice Linnan (Mark), niece Grace Linnan, nephews Shawn and Timothy Strack, Harrison Linnan, Richard and Billy Mayer and Thomas Mayer Jr. Funeral services Saturday, February 21, 2026 at 10:30 am at St. Ambrose Church, Latham, NY where his Funeral Mass will be celebrated. The Rite of Committal will be held privately. To leave a message for the family please visit www.McveighFuneralHome.com In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory to Rails to Trails Conservancy would be greatly appreciated - https://tinyurl.com/WHMRails2Trails

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William H. Mayer III

September 22, 1949 - February 9, 2026