William A. Bardsley ’51

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Bill, the son of William Bardsley 1911, grew up in Philadelphia, attended William Penn Charter School, majored in history, and joined Tower Club. He headed the Outing Club and the Unitarian Fellowship and worked at WPRU and the Express-Reunion Agency. His roommates were Donald Mann, Edward Woolley, David Sykes, James Mays, G.D. Little, George Nesbitt, Williston Benedict, James Young, and John Headley. 

After 10 years as a freelance journalist, photographer, ski area manager, and other jobs, Bill settled in Andover, N.H., where his family owned a resort-style camp. He and his wife, Betty, managed the property until he died. His winters were spent in management jobs at several nearby ski resorts. He also was president of the New Hampshire Ski-Area Operators Association. He held a variety of positions in local government including town administrator.

Bill was an avid Phillies fan and follower of Princeton sports teams who was frequently seen in Cambridge and New Haven as well as Princeton and Hanover. His interests in the outdoors were boundless, with regular traveling to such places as Arizona, the Rio Grande, and Mount Katahdin. 

Bill died March 20, 2023, and is survived by his two daughters and one son. 

Paw in print

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The cover of PAW’s November 2024 issue, featuring an illustration of a military tank that's made out of a pink brain, and the headline "Armed With Ideas: Princetonians lead think tanks through troubled political times."
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November 2024

Princetonians lead think tanks; the perfect football season of 1964; Nobel in physics.