William F. Etherington ’68

The class has lost a loyal Tiger. Bill died Aug. 5, 2022, in Richmond, Va., of lung cancer.

“Things” came to us from Phillips Exeter. He majored in religion, graduating cum laude, and ate at Cannon. Bill roomed with Cannon clubmates Will Sharer, Tony Sessa, George Blaustein, and Don Dietz in 1903 Hall his senior year.

After graduating, he trained as an Army infantry officer. He spent a year in Vietnam embedded in an ARVN battalion and was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Bronze Star Medal.

After mustering out, Bill entered law school at Washington & Lee, graduating cum laude in 1974. He clerked for U.S. Court of Appeals Judge John Butzner before beginning his legal career with the Richmond firm of Christian & Barton. After 15 years there, he joined the firm of Beale, Davidson, Etherington & Morris, where he remained until his passing. Throughout, he was a constant contributor to the Reunions experience for the class.

Bill was preceded at Princeton by his grandfather (Sandford Sr. 1906), his father (Sandford Jr. ’39), and his uncle (Robert ’35). He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Martha “Moonie,” and two children, Sandford G. III, and Emily Cox. The class extends its deepest sympathies to Bill’s extended family and friends.