William Ingraham, 80; ran Provincetown bed-and-breakfast

WILLIAM INGRAHAM

William Ray Ingraham, a former Woburn firefighter who later ran a bed-and-breakfast in Provincetown where he had a hand in numerous building projects, died April 17 at home of heart failure. He was 80.

Mr. Ingraham was born and raised in Woburn. A longtime member of the Carpenters and Joiners Union, he started his woodworking hobby in high school, when he was an apprentice for E. G. Barker Co. in Woburn. After graduating from Woburn High School in the mid-1940s, he entered the Army and was stationed in Germany.

After World War II, Mr. Ingraham was a firefighter in Woburn, where he lived until 1972, when an injury ended his firefighting career. He officially retired in 1975. He moved to Provincetown with his partner, Raymond Sparks, in 1970, and they bought the White Dory Inn. They ran the bed-and-breakfast for 10 years, making many friends in the process.

"It's hard to describe in words what Bill had, but he genuinely cared about most people, and he could put you at ease in a heartbeat," said longtime family friend Susan Lindquist of Brewster. "People just liked to talk to him, and he had a fabulous laugh. When he started to laugh, everybody around him laughed."

Provincetown residents and town officials often relied on Mr. Ingraham for help with remodeling, renovating, constructing, and maintaining buildings. He was part-time electrical inspector and assistant building inspector until he retired in 1996. He helped with a number of town projects, including the conversion of a funeral home into police headquarters. He also sat on a number of boards and was clerk of the works for several buildings, including the fire station on Shank Painter Road.

Warren Alexander, another longtime friend and co-worker in the town's inspection department, said that after Mr. Ingraham began working as an electrical inspector, the fire department responded to fewer fires.

He was also an honorary member of the Provincetown Fire Department.

"He would always be available for anything that needed his talent, and his talent was long," said Alexander.

"He had a very, very positive affect on Provincetown," said Sparks. "If he was going to be involved in something, the boards and everything were happy about it because they knew it would be in good hands."

Mr. Ingraham was especially known for his legendary workshop and beautiful wood products, which he made for people free of charge.

"He could fix anything," Lindquist said. "One fellow came in with a broken antique dining table and said, 'I was going to take it to the dump, but somebody told me you might be able to help me,' and he did, and he made it beautiful."

Lindquist said 300 people attended Mr. Ingraham's retirement party, where then-congressman Gerry Studds presented him with a tribute from the US House of Representatives for his years of service to Provincetown.

In addition to his partner of 50 years, he leaves a niece, Janice of Medford, and a nephew, Robert of Montana.

Services have been held.