Beloved Basking Ridge Volunteer, Bill Draper, Dies At 89

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Community members in Bernards Township reflected on the death of William C. Draper. He served as a volunteer for the Bernards Township Board of Education for many years, helping to plan out school expansions and more.

"He loved to crunch the numbers," said Bernards Township Mayor Carolyn Gaziano during Tuesday night's meeting.

Several other committee members reflected on Draper as well.

"He especially enjoyed analysis of any and all sorts of data, the love of which he applied to his volunteer work at Bishop Janes United Methodist Church and as the demographer for the Bernards Township Board of Education," his obituary stated on Gallaway & Crane.

Draper, 89, died in his sleep on Nov. 15, 2017 at Morristown Medical Center in Morristown. He was born on Oct. 4, 1928 in Blackstone, Virginia.

Bill grew up in Blackstone and graduated from Blackstone High School in 1947 where he played football and ran track. After high school, he attended William and Mary College for two years beginning in 1947 while serving in the Navy reserve.

He was honorably discharged from the Navy reserve in February 1949; enlisted in the Navy in February 1949 and was honorably discharged in January 1953 as Electronic Technician Second Class. He then enrolled at The Citadel in 1953 and graduated in June 1956 with a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering.

Following graduation, he began work in 1956 for Western Electric (later Bell Labs, AT&T and Bellcore) as an electrical engineer, pioneering innovations in missile guidance systems during a career which spanned almost 40 years.

Bill married Margie Anita Dempsey on April 11, 1953 in Charleston, South Carolina. They were happily married for more than 59 years. He enjoyed hiking the Sierra Nevada mountains; skiing in the mountains of the east and west, as well as Canada; running for exercise and fun for more than 50 years — notably finishing his 40th Virginia Ten-Miler in 2013 at age 85.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Bennie and Annie; his wife, Margie; and, his siblings, Irving Draper and Bea Atkinson.

Bill is survived by his sister, Mildred, of Closter; his sons, Chris and wife Lois Fitton and son, James, of Califon; John and wife Deborah, of Dallas, Texas; David and husband Luis Alvaray of Chicago, Illinois; and, 14 nieces and nephews.

A memorial gathering will be held at Gallaway & Crane Funeral Home, 101 S. Finley Ave, Basking Ridge on Tuesday, Dec. 5 from 11 a.m. to noon. Memorial service will follow at noon at the funeral home. A repast will follow at the Washington House, 55 South Finley Ave., Basking Ridge.

For Bill's friends at Fellowship Village, there will be a memorial service at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 10 at Fellowship Village, 8000 Fellowship Road, Basking Ridge. For further information, or to light an online condolence candle visit www.gcfuneralhome.com

In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations be made to a charity or cause which is important to the donor.

(Image via Shutterstock)

Have a news tip? Email [email protected].