Over the last few weeks, residents of Maybrook and neighboring communities have mourned the passing of William Treco Jr., a village trustee and retired police officer. For decades, Treco dedicated himself to public service, helping countless people in the Montgomery area through law enforcement, municipal work, and other means.

“It is with profound sadness that I announce the passing of Village of Maybrook Trustee William ‘Bill’ Treco. On behalf of the Village Board and the entire Village of Maybrook community, I extend our deepest condolences to his beloved wife, Leslie, his sons, Billy and Connor, and the entire Treco and Wentink families during this difficult time,” said Maybrook Mayor Dennis Leahy on July 25. “Bill was a dedicated public servant who cared deeply about our community. His commitment to the Village of Maybrook and its residents will be remembered with gratitude and respect. His service, friendship, and unwavering dedication have left a lasting impact on our village.”

Treco was born on May 25, 1973 in Yonkers to the late William Treco Sr. and Marguerite Treco. He briefly lived in Yonkers before he and his family moved to Rock Tavern during the 1970s. Treco graduated from Washingtonville High School in 1991, then the Orange County Police Academy in 1996. Following in his father’s footsteps, he pursued a career in law enforcement and joined the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in 1996, serving as a deputy officer for a few years.

In Montgomery, Treco joined the town’s police department in 1996, serving as a part-time officer and field training officer. He also worked part-time for the Walden PD and Maybrook PD starting in the 2000s. Between all three police departments, Treco strived to treat everyone with fairness and respect, including his arrestees.

“From time to time, I would come into contact with people that he had arrested, and they would all say ‘Your husband is the fairest person I know, he treated me with such respect, even though I had to be arrested,’” said Leslie, Treco’s wife, on August 8.

“Billy was a dedicated officer working here in the town he lived in. He was also a mentor to a generation of officers,” said Montgomery Police Chief John Hank on August 10. “Those of us who had the privilege to work with him were treated to the perfect combination of laughter and professionalism. He was a great officer and family man, as well as a great personal friend. He will be greatly missed.”

Treco and his wife knew each other since childhood, and they began dating in November 1998 after hanging out at the Minuteman Sports Bar in New Windsor. The couple moved to Maybrook in 2003, married in 2004, had their first son Billy in September 2005, and had their second son Connor in May 2009.

“We grew up together, our childhood homes were close to each other and we rode the same bus to elementary school. Though we never really ran in the same circles,” Leslie said on August 7. “One night, my best friend of 50 years said ‘Hey I’m going out tonight, guess who’s coming?’ And it was Bill. And we eventually went out one night to the Minuteman, which was a known police bar in New Windsor, and we just started talking that night. I guess that’s where it all started.”

In January 2019, Treco was diagnosed with end-stage kidney disease and began dialysis. He endured many hardships over the next several years and was hospitalized for over nine months. Despite the challenges, Treco kept a positive attitude and did his best to cheer up patients in the hospital. In August 2025, he received a donor kidney at Hackensack Medical Center and no longer needed dialysis, though he would need to carefully manage his blood levels.

“The nurses, doctors, and some of the therapists who came into contact with him all had the same message. Even when he was struggling some days and not feeling well, he would always turn to somebody alongside him and try to make them feel a little bit better,” Leslie said. “Even if he was not feeling great himself, he would always encourage somebody next to him that better days would be coming, and that they’re not always going to feel this way. I got so many of those stories after he passed, about how he was a bright light in a dark space.”

Due to his kidney disease, Treco was forced to retire from law enforcement in 2019. He sought to continue serving his community through Maybrook’s government; he joined the village planning board in 2022, then the board of trustees a year later.

“He had a heart for giving back and being a part of the community around us. When he couldn’t be a police officer anymore because of his illness, I think becoming a village trustee was a way for him to still be involved, be around people within the community, and have a voice,” Leslie said. “It was really close to his heart, and my husband prided himself on integrity and morals, and giving a voice to people who don’t have a voice.”

On July 25, Treco passed away at 53 years old from his end-stage kidney disease. Friends, family members, and residents attended his funeral mass on August 3 at Sacred Heart Church in Monroe and interment at Woodlawn Cemetery in New Windsor. Treco left a huge impression on every person he interacted with, cementing his legacy in both Maybrook and the Montgomery area.

“I don’t think that I realized the impact that my husband had on people until I started to see how many posts were put on social media and how many text messages I received. I would describe my husband in his prime as a giant; he had this giant personality, and even in people’s sorrow, he would be able to get people to smile,” Leslie said on July 8. “He was kind, he was fair, he was genuine, and he was larger than life in his prime. I think when he got sick, it definitely changed him a bit, but he never lost that desire to have an impact and make a difference.”