William (Bill) Merrill White, Jr, 82, of Oquossoc, son of William Merrill White and Frances Mildred Atwood, died August 29, 2008 at the Maine Veterans Home in Augusta.
He was born May 30, 1926 at home in Waban, Mass. and grew up in Newton/Waban, Mass., attended Anger Elementary School and Newton High School. Bill was accepted to Harvard University prior to enlisting in the Navy. He did basic training at Great Lakes Naval Station (WI) from where he was accepted into OCS at Webb Institute of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering and won top honors (he requested a complete Modern Library collection rather than the prestigious naval architecture book that was customarily awarded). Bill entered Harvard after WWII was over, declining some of his credits from Webb so that he could spend three years at Harvard from which he graduated summa cum laude.
Bill’s working career was with Connecticut General Life Insurance Company in Hartford, CT. He was admitted as a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries in 1958. After 32 years, he retired in 1981 as Director of Government Relations meeting in Washington, DC with Connecticut’s Congressional delegation and Insurance Industry leaders. Bill was generous with his time. He was a representative from West Hartford, CT to the Greater Hartford (CT) Transportation District and served as chairman for many years; at CG he was active in the ‘People to People’ program; he recorded for Books for the Blind; appeared as “Conductor Bill” for Connecticut Public TV fundraising programs; participated on the board of the Greater Hartford YMCA.
Music, the theater and playing the piano were among his favorite pastimes. Bill was an avid reader and a racquets player—tennis, squash, paddle tennis; golf and skiing were also high on his list of recreation. After retirement and a move to Rangeley, Maine, in 1992, Bill continued his interests in tennis, golf, reading, music and active participation in the Rangeley Friends of the Arts productions, and his church. He enjoyed the English language and would create limericks for any occasion. Bill had a sharp wit and a “punny” way with words.
Bill is survived by his wife of 47 years Marcia Marie Picard whom he married January 14, 1961 at Bristol, CT; they have four children and nine grandchildren. Andrea married to G. Frederick Wadlington and their children Anna Marie and Marcus Alexander of Jeffersonville, VT; Jennifer and her children William Roland Atwood, Daniel Allen Atwood and Leah Paige Atwood of Ada, MN; Dana Merrill married to Tamara Lynn Moore and their children Michael Alexander Merrill and Sarah Michelle of Spring Hill, TN; Cynthia married to Keith Andrew Runge and their children Katherine Abigail and Benjamin Christopher of Oakville, CT; a nephew Phillip Bradley White married to Jan Nebus and their son Nathan of Naples, FL; a niece Julia Frances White and her children Sarah and Gwen Yale of Wauconda, IL. Bill was predeceased by his parents, his brother Merrill Atwood White, and a nephew Daniel Yale.
A memorial service will be held at The Church of the Good Shepherd, 2614 Main Street, Rangeley, ME on Saturday, Sept. 6 at 2 pm. The service will be followed immediately by the committal at Evergreen Cemetery, Main Street, Rangeley, ME. The Episcopal Church Women will provide a reception in the Church undercroft. In lieu of flowers, it is suggested contributions may be made in Bill’s memory to the Memorial Fund of The Church of the Good Shepherd in Rangeley, PO Box 156, Rangeley, ME 04970. Services are being cared for and provided by the Wiles Funeral Home, Cremation Service, & Remembrance Center, 137 Farmington Falls Road, Farmington.
