William Denison Bickham Jr. ’45

Bill Bickham died Sept. 5, 1996, of a heart attack in Calgary, Alberta.

Bill entered Princeton from Hackley, following grandfather D.D. Bickham 1886, and father W.D. Bickham '13. Bill was one of that stalwart few who stole the clapper from Nassau Hall, and he joined Cloister Inn before leaving for service as a staff sergeant aerial photographer with the 66th Army Engineers.

Bill married June Avery Nichols in 1946, and took his degree in geology in 1947, cum laude. He then spent four years exploring new oil sources for Creole Petroleum Corporation in Venezuela before moving to Calgary and establishing his own drilling company and consulting firm. Bill and Nickie had three children before divorcing in 1959. Bill then married Adele Beaulieu, who had four children from her previous marriage; Bill adopted them and had two daughters with Adele before their 1970 divorce. In 1978 Bill married Theresa PhelpsHelbak, who survives him; Bill and Theresa had no children. In 1981 they moved to Denver, where Bill established Energex, Inc., in the field of oil and gas exploration. He retired in 1991.

Bill is survived, in addition to Theresa, by children Robin Schoggen, William D. III, and Pamela Buddymeyer from his first marriage; by Leslie Shier and Cynthia Huber from his second marriage; and by seven stepchildren and eight grandchildren. Bill also leaves his younger brother, Dr. Robert S. Bickham '51, and by Mrs. W.D. Bickham, his stepmother.

The Class of 1945