Obituary of William Tesdell

January 8, 2022

William Allen Giles Tesdell
(1989 – 2022)


We are sad to share that William Allen Giles Tesdell (he/they) passed away on January 8th. Will died peacefully at home, surrounded by love, with family and friends by his side. Will was an expert punner, a lover of bike rides, live music, and tiny instruments, and an incredibly kind and affectionate person who loved his family and friends deeply. He was extraordinarily considerate of all he met, from his closest relatives to his attendants in the hospital.

Born and raised in New York City, Will graduated from Brooklyn Friends School and Bard College, where he studied electronic music and met some of his dearest friends. He became a teacher after college and was passionate about equality in education. Powell House, a Quaker retreat center in upstate New York, was a sacred place for him. Will attended youth conferences there beginning in middle school, then served as an adult presence and as a co-facilitator of weekend gatherings for children and youth. He recently organized several sojourns at Powell House for a small circle of friends and family. Will and his darling, Macayla Donegan, were married in June, 2021, shortly after adopting their puppy, Banjo.

Will is survived by his wife Macayla; parents Sherry Giles and Kerwin Tesdell; stepparents Diana Tesdell and Glenn Hudak; siblings Annika, Evan, Nicole and Ben; aunt Kerry Giles Miller (Bill Miller); uncles Rick Giles and Bill Giles; cousins Joshua, Grace, and Sarah; niece Bella, and nephew, Jay; and dog-child Banjo Donegan-Tesdell.

A memorial service celebrating Will's life will be held on Saturday, January 15th at 2 pm at Brooklyn Friends Meeting House, 110 Schermerhorn Street, Brooklyn, New York. Details about the service, including a form where you can RSVP, can be found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/18oYio1r35Qn0_04y6IjjMM9aeD-6A7Dl/view. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the youth program at Powell House (https://poho.org/donations) or to organizations that support the LGBTQ community or racial justice.

Condolences may be sent to Macayla Donegan at macayladonegan@gmail.com, Kerwin and Diana Tesdell at ktesdell@gmail.com, and Sherry Giles and Glenn Hudak at hollyce.giles@gmail.com.

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