William E. Schluter ’50

Bill died Aug. 6, 2018, in Pennington, N.J., of pancreatic cancer. He was a longtime New Jersey legislator who was described as “everything a true public servant should be.”

A three-letter man from Exeter, he was a varsity hockey player, member of Cannon, and honors graduate in economics. Following graduation and several manufacturing jobs, he returned to New Jersey in 1957 to acquire a small drop-forging company with his brother, Fred ’50.

His political career started as a member of the Pennington Council in 1964, then state senator and assemblyman from 1968 to 1974, and again from 1987 to 2002. He was a fiercely independent Republican who sponsored New Jersey’s campaign-finance law.

He crusaded for ethics and government reform, frequently angering powerful officials from both parties. In 2002, he made an unsuccessful bid as an independent for governor. Bill wrote numerous articles espousing his political positions, and published a book on soft corruption in government.

Though he was always active in community affairs, his passion for hockey never diminished. He was a founder of the Princeton Hockey Club, played for more than 40 years, and coached peewee hockey for 20 years.

Bill is survived by his wife of 68 years, Nancy; six children; 19 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. His brother Fred died in 2015.