Obituary

William Anthony Toussaint, 89, of Charleston, WV, passed away at Charleston Area Medical Center on August 17, 2026.

Bill was born March 31, 1937, in Charleston, to the late Walter J. Toussaint and Elizabeth Foy Toussaint. He was one of five children; the Toussaint family was full of laughter, learning, and a deep Catholic faith. Bill graduated from St. Vincent College in Latrobe and attended Notre Dame University on a Navy ROTC scholarship. After college, Bill spent several years as a Russian linguist during the Cold War before enrolling in the West Virginia College of Law, where he graduated in 1972. After law school, Bill returned to Charleston, where he began his career as a lawyer with the West Virginia Department of Education.

Bill was a lifelong bachelor, and doted on his nieces and nephews. More than once, he and “the kids” had to be called up from the basement several times for family dinner because of an overly competitive and loud game of ping pong. He was always up for a game of Parcheesi or Uncle Wiggly and usually lost, which was so consistent it was suspected he was doing it on purpose. Bill was also a cat dad and had many feline companions over the years. Sylvester, his first cat, was a smart tuxedo named after the Looney Tunes character and was so bonded to Bill that he was also invited over to family dinners at his parents’ home in South Charleston, WV, when the rest of the family was in town.

Bill was particularly close to his siblings and attended many family events, including graduations, first communions, and Christmases. A member of the West Virginia Bar, Bill presented one of his nieces for membership to the Bar in 2000.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents; his sisters, Mary Catherine Cleary and Alice Krantz; his brother, Joe Toussaint; sister-in-law, Ann Toussaint; brothers-in-law, Frank Cleary and Ron Wager, and his nephew, Dan Cleary.

He is survived by his sister, Betty Wagner; his brother-in-law, William Krantz, and nieces and nephews, Jean Cleary, David Cleary (Vjollca), Ron (Kim), Greg (Ann), Kristin (Dave), Gretchen (Mike – deceased 2022), William (Allison), Heidi (Jay) and Leslie (Matt).

Graveside service with entombment will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, August 24, 2026, at Mt. Olivet Catholic Mausoleum Chapel, Charleston, with the Very Rev. Father Donald X. Higgs officiating.

Visitation will begin one hour prior at Barlow Bonsall Funeral Home, 1118 Virginia Street East, Charleston. The processional will leave the funeral home at 10:45 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Kanawha-Charleston Humane Association in memory of Bill, Sylvester, and his feline friends.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.barlowbonsall.com.

Barlow Bonsall Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements.