William Patrick “Bill” Egan II, of Delray Beach, FL and Newport, RI, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on September 13, 2025. He was 80 years old. Bill was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother and friend.
Born on February 3, 1945, in Newport, Rhode Island to John J. Egan and Marion Peckham Egan, Bill was the youngest of six children in a large, close-knit family. From a young age, Bill had a profound respect for perseverance, ingenuity, and humility.
Bill graduated from Fairfield University with a degree in Economics before earning his MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. His professional journey began at New England Merchants Bank, followed by TA Associates. In 1979, along with Craig Burr and the late Jean Deleage, he founded Burr, Egan, Deleage & Co., one of the nation’s earliest bi-coastal venture capital firms, and later became Founder and General Partner of Alta Communications. Bill then founded Marion Equity Partners and was a pioneer in the search fund industry, further extending his influence on a new generation of entrepreneurs and investors.
Over the course of his illustrious career, Bill identified and invested in numerous leading global companies including FedEx, Continental Cablevision, Asurion, the Worcester Red Sox, and the Boston Celtics. He was widely respected for his leadership, as past President and Chairman of the National Venture Capital Association, a Trustee of the University of Pennsylvania, a member of the Board of Overseers at the Wharton School, and a former Trustee of Fairfield University. Bill also held a deep love for Ireland. His service on the Board of Directors of CRH plc, Ireland’s leading building materials company, was among one of his most meaningful business endeavors. The role combined his sharp business insight with his enduring pride in his heritage, and he deeply cherished the relationships and experiences it brought him.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Bill was devoted to his family, faith, and community. He shared 60 wonderful years of marriage with his wife, Jacalyn Conklin Egan, the love of his life and his partner in every sense. Together they built a family rooted in love, devotion, and friendship. Bill attributed his lifelong commitment to philanthropy to his Jesuit education and the values it instilled: service, generosity, and responsibility to others. His philanthropy was especially meaningful at Fairfield University, where his generosity helped establish the Egan Chapel of St. Ignatius Loyola and the Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies.
He was a passionate supporter of cultural and historical institutions, serving as a board member of both the Newport Preservation Society and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, where he also chaired the museum’s expansion project. Bill leaves behind a legacy of philanthropic generosity and civic leadership that enriched the lives of those in his community.
Above all else, Bill’s biggest accomplishment was his family. He cherished time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, often weaving humor, storytelling, and lessons from his Newport upbringing into every gathering. Known for his generosity, wit, and humility, he will be remembered not only as a visionary in business, but also as a man who never forgot his roots and the importance of family. Bill truly left an impact on everyone that he met whether professionally, on the golf course, or through the many friendships he treasured throughout his life.
Bill is survived by his adoring wife, Jackie, and their four children, Kristin Reed (Tyson Sr.), Bill III, Greg (Tara), and Mark (Sheika) as well as his seventeen grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, Jacalyn, Tyson Jr., Will IV, Addie, Patrick, Cameron, Halle, Olivia, Delaney, Faith, Sophie, Trinity, Tim, Ceci, Mark Jr., Charlotte, Shannon, Emma, Egan and Isabella. He is also survived by his beloved older siblings, Jack Egan, Beth Batten, Nancy Seiler, Lynn Flynn, and Brenda Carlin.
He was preceded in death by his sister-in-law Elizabeth (Betty) Egan and brothers-in-law, William (Bill) Batten, Earnest (Pete) Seiler, William (Sher) Flynn, and James (Jim) Carlin.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, September 22, 2025, at St. Mary’s Church, Newport at 11:00 AM. Burial will be private.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Boys and Girls Clubs of Newport County, 95 Church St, Newport, RI 02840, or The Hope Funds for Cancer Research, 174 Bellevue Ave #208, Newport, RI 02840.
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