William "Leo" Bazzy of Berwick Place in Norwood, died Sunday, Dec. 6, after struggling several years with Alzheimer's disease. William was a co-founder of Horizon House Inc., a technical publishing company, and served as publisher, president, and chairman for more than 50 years.
Leo was the dear and devoted husband and best friend of the late Salwa (Hajar). Loving father of William M. Bazzy of Cambridge and Joan B. Egan and her husband David Egan of Sudbury. Cherished grandfather "Jiddoo" of Ivar Bazzy of Cambridge, Jared Bazzy of Cambridge, and Kathryn Egan of Framingham. Dear brother of Siham Bazzy of New York, N.Y., and Samia El Rayess of Tripoli, Lebanon and the Late Emil Bazzy. Leo is also survived by his loving sister in law Emily Hajar of Norwood and several loving nieces and nephews.
Leo was born in Jeannette, Pennsylvania on August 4, 1920, the son of Michael and Nady Hable. The family moved to South Norwood, Massachusetts in the early 1930s and sold fruit to local grocers. After his graduation from Norwood High School in 1938, William served in the U.S. Army as a non-combat engineer during WWII. He returned to Norwood where met and married his wife Salwa Hajar in 1944 and began a family. Salwa passed away in April 2006. Leo will be buried with Sal in Highland Cemetery in Norwood.
Having learned the basics of electrical engineering and wireless communications from the Army Signal Corps, he became an integral member of WBZ's engineering team early in his career. First, he would lead the technical team in the successful launch of WBZ TV in 1948, a first for New England, which then included the first live Red Sox games, in-studio debates featuring future-President Kennedy, and the area's first live daily news. He then worked for NBC's parent company RCA and other manufacturers to draft specifications in 1956 that became the universal standard for transmission of color television.
William left WBZ to found Horizon House in 1958. By joining in business with his brother Emil, who operated a printing press in Roxbury, they raised $10,000 to launch a new magazine, Microwave Journal. Horizon House opened business offices in Brookline, moved to Dedham for nearly 20 years, and then on to Norwood. It remains family owned and operated. Leo would found and serve as publisher of Telecommunications Magazine and other specialty publications dedicated to advanced business practices in multimedia communications and wireless engineering for commercial, civil, and defense industries.
William and his wife gave generously to their church, local veterans groups, and supported political causes for peace in the Middle East, legal and educational resources for immigrants in the US, and St. Jude’s Hospital.
A Memorial Service for Leo was held on Friday, January 8, 2010 at the First Congregational Church in Norwood.
Contributions in Leo's memory may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 311 Aresnal St. Watertown, MA 02472, or to the charity of your choice in memory of Leo and Salwa.