Bill passed away on Wednesday October 26, 2011 in the Veterans Administration Hospice Center in West Palm Beach Florida after a battle with lung cancer. Bill was a member of the Paramus High School Class of ’64 and active in student activities. He attended Bridgeport University in Connecticut where he majored in mathematics.
He served in the US Army from 1967 to 1969 and served in Vietnam during the Tet Offensive with the 11th Armored Cavalry where he was awarded the Bronze Star for Meritorious Achievement.
Bill is survived by his son Craig, daughter, Melissa, his mother, two brothers and his sister. He has nine grandchildren.
I remember Bill very well. He was a long time member of the Drama Workshop and the Stagecrafters as well as the band. Very friendly. He worked on building the sets for our plays and always had a smile for everyone. Michele (Mickie See) Simon
Bill was president of the band in ‘63, and a great trombone player. I formed a Dixieland/ rock and roll band after H.S. We went to the World’s Fair in NY. We played at the New York, New Jersey and RCA pavilions. We made one of the first RCA color tapes – at that time “Bonanza” was the only TV show in color. I remember people looking down from a catwalk to where we played. Steve Shrell who was All State band was in it. We had an excellent drummer and guitar player "Wipeout" from Ridgewood. Can’t remember the others. We were 17-18 years old.
We rehearsed in my basement – all the kids came around and looked in through the windows. We were scheduled to play our first gig at a bowling alley near one of the malls – and the bowling alley burned down.
“I see so much magic though I missed it at the time.” [Jamie Collum].
Bill was my lab partner in Biology and one day we had to do blood typing. I said that I would probably faint if it was my blood so Bill volunteered to be the "blood giver" and I was the reluctant phlebotomist. I stuck the needle in his finger so quickly he was amazed that it didn't hurt at all. He immediately got up and announced to the whole class that if they wanted their blood taken painlessly to have Mary do it! Bill was an extremely nice person.
I was lucky enough, because of Ken's hard work getting classmates together on this site, to contact Bill a few months ago by a e-mail and a phone call. It was nice to reconnect and talk about school, our life paths, his Military Service, my job advocating for Veterans. I offered him help in getting VA benefits and sent him the paperwork. Bill was a HERO and I knew I would be able to help him get compensation for PTSD, TBI or other things related to his service in Vietnam not knowing he would be also diagnosed with Lung Cancer.
Bill may be the first person in our class to die from a disease linked to exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam. I feel badly that I could not have helped him sooner. His passing makes me truly sad. And very tearful.
Bill was one of my many heroes along with many others growing up in Paramus Schools. By that I mean I found in many people some quality to emulate to improve myself, to be a better person. In Bill Turner, who I dearly liked & was actually closer to in 7-8th grades at Memorial School than at PHS, there were several attributes I admired. Bill had the most likeable personality with his smile & friendliness to seemingly everyone. And then there was his leadership... ability & talents! Yes, Bill, not me, leading the way at Memorial School when we first formed the Student Council in 8th grade. First Bill President from September to January & then me for the remainder of the school year, following an unusual Constitution we wrote that gave more people a chance to be officers. Were we wise before our time or what? And scholarship, here again I found myself striving to be as smart as Bill. He was definitely a gifted person intellectually.
And then there was Bill's Mom, endeared to all of us as the Secretary to Mr. Rigolo as Principal at Memorial School, following Dr. Bill Dunn! Mrs. Turner was Mom to all of us during our school hours.
And then at PHS, all of us going our separate & busy paths. But I always took an interest in what Bill was doing especially so well in band. -- Still the same friendly smile & friendliness to me & everyone. But the leadership that Bill possessed was a puzzle to me in those days, i.e., where had it gone. The shortcoming was in me looking for my indicators of leadership in Bill. Bill WAS leading in the things he valued best. Bill Turner was a quality person who was one of life's lessons for me growing up. I wish I had taken the time to tell him so.
Ken Tashian
Bill passed away on Wednesday October 26, 2011 in the Veterans Administration Hospice Center in West Palm Beach Florida after a battle with lung cancer. Bill was a member of the Paramus High School Class of ’64 and active in student activities. He attended Bridgeport University in Connecticut where he majored in mathematics.
Michele See (Simon)
I remember Bill very well. He was a long time member of the Drama Workshop and the Stagecrafters as well as the band. Very friendly. He worked on building the sets for our plays and always had a smile for everyone. Michele (Mickie See) Simon
Ken Tashian
Fond Memories of Bill from Bob Preyss
Bill was president of the band in ‘63, and a great trombone player. I formed a Dixieland/ rock and roll band after H.S. We went to the World’s Fair in NY. We played at the New York, New Jersey and RCA pavilions. We made one of the first RCA color tapes – at that time “Bonanza” was the only TV show in color. I remember people looking down from a catwalk to where we played. Steve Shrell who was All State band was in it. We had an excellent drummer and guitar player "Wipeout" from Ridgewood. Can’t remember the others. We were 17-18 years old.
We rehearsed in my basement – all the kids came around and looked in through the windows. We were scheduled to play our first gig at a bowling alley near one of the malls – and the bowling alley burned down.
“I see so much magic though I missed it at the time.” [Jamie Collum].
B.Z. was our trombone player – so many years ago.
Mary Senk (Newman)
Bill was my lab partner in Biology and one day we had to do blood typing. I said that I would probably faint if it was my blood so Bill volunteered to be the "blood giver" and I was the reluctant phlebotomist. I stuck the needle in his finger so quickly he was amazed that it didn't hurt at all. He immediately got up and announced to the whole class that if they wanted their blood taken painlessly to have Mary do it! Bill was an extremely nice person.
I was lucky enough, because of Ken's hard work getting classmates together on this site, to contact Bill a few months ago by a e-mail and a phone call. It was nice to reconnect and talk about school, our life paths, his Military Service, my job advocating for Veterans. I offered him help in getting VA benefits and sent him the paperwork. Bill was a HERO and I knew I would be able to help him get compensation for PTSD, TBI or other things related to his service in Vietnam not knowing he would be also diagnosed with Lung Cancer.
Bill may be the first person in our class to die from a disease linked to exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam. I feel badly that I could not have helped him sooner. His passing makes me truly sad. And very tearful.
Phil Fontana
Bill was one of my many heroes along with many others growing up in Paramus Schools. By that I mean I found in many people some quality to emulate to improve myself, to be a better person. In Bill Turner, who I dearly liked & was actually closer to in 7-8th grades at Memorial School than at PHS, there were several attributes I admired. Bill had the most likeable personality with his smile & friendliness to seemingly everyone. And then there was his leadership... ability & talents! Yes, Bill, not me, leading the way at Memorial School when we first formed the Student Council in 8th grade. First Bill President from September to January & then me for the remainder of the school year, following an unusual Constitution we wrote that gave more people a chance to be officers. Were we wise before our time or what? And scholarship, here again I found myself striving to be as smart as Bill. He was definitely a gifted person intellectually.
And then there was Bill's Mom, endeared to all of us as the Secretary to Mr. Rigolo as Principal at Memorial School, following Dr. Bill Dunn! Mrs. Turner was Mom to all of us during our school hours.
And then at PHS, all of us going our separate & busy paths. But I always took an interest in what Bill was doing especially so well in band. -- Still the same friendly smile & friendliness to me & everyone. But the leadership that Bill possessed was a puzzle to me in those days, i.e., where had it gone. The shortcoming was in me looking for my indicators of leadership in Bill. Bill WAS leading in the things he valued best. Bill Turner was a quality person who was one of life's lessons for me growing up. I wish I had taken the time to tell him so.
Phil Fontana