Bill Black ’67

Bill died March 18, 2017, of a recurrence of lymphoma.

Bill came to Princeton from Paducah, Ky., where he lived the remainder of his life after Vietnam service. A history major at Princeton, he was a member of Tiger Inn and lived at 68 Little Hall with John Soong and Jim Reinhardt. A Navy ROTC scholarship at Princeton led to his commission as a Marine lieutenant, two tours in Vietnam, two Purple Hearts, and a Bronze Star for Valor.

Returning to Paducah in 1971 he joined the family construction company, Ray Black & Son. His lifelong civic concern led him to preserve Paducah buildings and restore others, creating a 26-square-block LowerTown neighborhood National Historic Register District. He fought to preserve the charter of Scout Troop 1, one of seven original Boy Scout troops in America, and served on the local school board for 24 years.

Bill married Nancy Fowler Black and during 44 years of marriage they had three sons, Will ’96, David, and Fowler. He is survived by his wife, sons, five grandchildren, sister Virginia Coltharp, and brother Christopher. He was buried, naturally, in Paducah and is sorely missed by the Class of ’67.