Service Set For Longtime Chatham Officer 1 Year After COVID Death

CHATHAM, NJ — William "Bill" Nauta left his imprint all over the Chatham community, not only as a Chatham Borough police officer but through local organizations, youth sports and the high school marching band. More than a year after he died from COVID-19, the community can come together and mourn his loss.

Nauta, 72, died from COVID complications April 10, 2020. Early in the coronavirus crisis, New Jersey limited funerals and memorial services to private events of no more than 10 people. The community remembered Nauta — his family attended a February service honoring people locally and worldwide who died from the virus — but loved ones delayed a memorial service.

A memorial mass for Nauta is now set for 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Patrick's Church (corner of Chatham Street and Washington Avenue).

Nauta moved to Chatham in 1955, graduating from Chatham High School 10 years later. He began dating Carol in 1971, shortly after their New Year's Day tobogganing rides down the hills of Canoe Brook and South Mountain Reservation, according to his obituary. They got engaged that April and married five months later before raising four children who went through Chatham's school system.

He served in the military for a few years and joined the Chatham Borough Police Department in 1970. Nauta rose through the ranks, from patrolman to captain before retiring in 2003.

In his free time, Nauta loved to volunteer. He became involved with Boy Scout Troop 28, served as co-president of the Chatham Middle School PTO and co-led the Brownies and Girl Scouts. Nauta coached youth soccer and basketball and youth and women's softball. He was also a "roadie" for the Chatham High School marching band.

He also worked with the John Taylor Babbitt Foundation to get automated external defibrillators for Chatham fields.

In 1975, Nauta began teaching CPR and first aid classes. In honor of his passion for teaching CPR, loved ones encouraged people to take a CPR course.

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