William E. Connolly, of Baltimore, Maryland, passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, February 25th, 2026, at the age of 88. He is survived by his beloved wife of 38 years, Jane Bennett; loving children, David Connolly (Jeanne Connolly) and Deborah (James) Youngblood; dear brothers-in-law and sister-in-law, Robert Beal, Daniel Terwilliger, Donald Bennett and Susan Bennett; cherished grandchildren, Cameron Youngblood, Jesse Youngblood, Julian Youngblood, James Connolly, Katherine Connolly, William Connolly and Charles Connolly; and adored nieces and nephew, Natalie Terwilliger, Anne Terwilliger, Janelle Stewart, Tiffany Beal and Darren Beal. William was predeceased by his dear sister, Judy Beal; and loving parents, Pluma and William Connolly.

Bill lived a life as impactful as it was distinctive. Born and raised in Flint, Michigan, he was proud of his working class roots and used lessons learned from his union organizer father and smart and loving mother as his foundation. From that, he built a life directed by a powerful moral and intellectual compass that rejected traditional doctrines of belief and duty and replaced them with nuanced and well-practiced modes of compassion, a commitment to justice, reverence for being, and an unparalleled dedication to generating and sharing new ideas.

His life was overflowing with words. He published 30 books, advised many dozens of doctoral students, and was a distinguished professor at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and then Johns Hopkins University, until he retired two years ago at the age of 86. One of the foremost leaders in political thought, political theory was not what he did but who he is.

He balanced his love of theory and academics with a lifetime of athleticism. His early years were punctuated with wins in football, basketball, and track and field. And he counted his high school teammates as among his most cherished friends. He continued to play sports and exercise his entire life, and his mind and body were strong until the end.

Those of us close to him, and there are many - current and former students, colleagues, friends and neighbors, and family - will wonder who to turn to now when we have an emerging idea, a story to tell, or a personal challenge to untangle. There was no one better to share those conversations with. The world is missing a brilliant star and it's a little darker for it. But we remain grateful for how beautifully it shone for so long.

Services are private. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be sent to the Goucher Education Prison Partnership, 1021 Dulaney Valley Road Baltimore, MD 21204; or The Village Learning Place, 2521 St Paul St, Baltimore, MD 21218; or Greenpeace, 1300 Eye Street NW, STE 1100 East, Washington, D.C. 20005.

In memory of William E. Connolly, please consider making a donation to one of the following charities:

• Greenpeace Fund, Inc.
• Village Learning Place
• Goucher Education Prison Partnership