William F. Close ’53

Bill died April 23, 2024, in Danbury, Conn.

He was born in Washington, D.C. and came to Princeton from Summit (N.J.) High School. He was a member of Tower Club and majored in history, writing his thesis on “Progressivism and Foreign Policy.” He was head cheerleader in his senior year. Commissioned as an ensign in the Navy, Bill served three years on a destroyer in the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Mediterranean and then graduated from Harvard Business School.

After a short time with Smith Barney and Co., Bill became a partner of E.F. Hutton & Co. and went to work on the New York Stock Exchange as a floor broker for 32 years.

He belonged to the New York Yacht Club and enjoyed sailing at Sachem’s Head Yacht Club in Guilford, Conn. He raced in nine Newport-to-Bermuda Races, winning the race in 1962. He cruised with a number of other clubs and sailed transatlantic in 1984.

Bill is survived by his wife of 32 years, Stephanie; by his four children from two previous marriages; and nine grandchildren.