William Anthony "Bill" Cuff (February 11, 1935 – August 27, 2026)

William Anthony "Bill" Cuff, 91, of Machias, New York, passed peacefully into the arms of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on August 27, 2026. Born on February 11, 1935, in the Bronx, New York City, New York, he was a man of remarkable resilience, generosity, and drive.

Bill’s incredible work ethic was forged early in the South Bronx. By the age of nine, he was selling the Daily News on street corners as well as programs at Yankee Stadium. At 12 years old, he was shining shoes in the New York City subways. At seventeen, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, proudly serving his country in Korea as a machine gunner and competing as a Golden Gloves boxer.

After an honorable discharge from the military, Bill returned to New York City, supporting himself through college by working as a baker, electrician, porter, taxi cab driver, and police officer. After graduating from court reporting school and attending New York University, he moved to California in 1961 and attended the University of California at Santa Barbara. His drive ultimately led him to the University of San Fernando Valley College of Law, where he earned his Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1970. That same year, he opened Bill Cuff & Associates, a successful certified shorthand reporting firm in Los Angeles County. His distinguished career brought him into contact with many notable figures, including a highly memorable encounter taking the deposition of John Lennon while Yoko Ono sat in the corner writing poetry. A pioneer in his field, Bill was also instrumental in developing Digitext, an innovative company that utilized shorthand methods to enter text into computers, notably advancing closed captioning technology for the hearing impaired.

A truly gregarious man with a generous heart, Bill loved people, socializing, and storytelling. Always unabashedly himself, he was known simply as the best friend anyone could ever ask for. He had a lifelong passion for horses, notably owning the Salt Lake City Buckaroos professional rodeo team, alongside racehorses and riding horses. He always enjoyed a day at the racetrack or a trip to the casino. At home, he found joy in gardening, watching football, especially the Buffalo Bills, and was a voracious reader who consumed the daily newspaper from the front page down to the very last ad. Above all, he cherished spending time with his family, loving his children and grandchildren dearly.

Bill leaves behind a beautiful legacy. He is survived by his beloved wife of 46 years, Joanie Woodruff Cuff; his children, Steven Cuff, David Cuff (Sharon), Helaine Searle (Bill), Kahley Cuff, and Chelsey Cuff (Billy Meade); his ten grandchildren, Dakota, Soleil, Krystina, Raychel, Matthew, Andrew, Trinity, Anna, Wade, and Cody; as well as 13 great-grandchildren and many loving nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his father, James Cuff; his mother, Louise Bone Cuff; his stepfather, Frederick Probst; and his sister, Louise Frances Cuff-Lynch.

Even as he navigated health challenges in his final years, Bill’s unyielding spirit and charm never faded. He was blessed to spend this time in the comfort of his home with his family and a devoted team of cherished caregivers—Beth Bragg, Roberta Steffenhagen, Jane Smith, LuAnn Tudela, and Liberty Haynes—who brought profound compassion, friendship, and dignity to his daily life. Bill’s immense heart, fierce loyalty, and unforgettable spirit will live on forever in the lives of everyone he touched.

A Celebration of Life will be held on September 5, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at First Christian Church of Machias, 9656 Main Street (Rt 16), Machias, NY. A burial with military honors will follow at 2:30 p.m. at St. John's Cemetery, 9280 Roszyk Hill Rd., West Valley, NY. Friends and family are then invited to a picnic gathering to share stories and memories at the Machias Town Park Pavilion, 3491 Union St., Machias, NY, beginning at 3:30 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, and in honor of Bill's profound love for horses, his family requests donations be made to Sunshine Horses, Inc. Their mission is to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome horses of all backgrounds while fostering healing and growth through the transformative power of the horse-human bond. Checks can be mailed to Sunshine Horses, Inc., 3721 Ver Plank Road, Clay, New York 13041, or submitted via PayPal on their website at www.sunshinehorses.org.