William F. Matthews Jr. ’53

Bill died Nov. 5, 2023, in Scottsdale, Ariz.

He grew up in Upper Montclair, N.J., where he graduated from Montclair Academy. He attended Princeton but left in his sophomore year to enlist in the Navy. He married Ellen Robertson in 1956, and they lived, worked, and raised their family in Wilton, Conn. An electro-optical engineer, Bill worked for Perkin-Elmer and Hughes. Many of his projects involved imaging laser radar (ILR) systems development. He was awarded a patent for an ILR invention and authored numerous articles on the subject.

After taking early retirement, Bill and Ellen moved to Whispering Pines, N.C., in 1994. They later moved to Penick Village in Southern Pines, N.C. Bill was an active volunteer, leading the radio ministry for his church and serving in many roles, including president, of the Sandhills Photo Club. He was named volunteer of the year three times at Penick Village.

Bill’s first job was taking photos for a real estate agent when he was 13. He photographed Broadway stars as a Princeton student and later was a medical photographer. In retirement, his photos frequently won awards in exhibits and competitions. He also loved travel, biking, classical music, house projects, and grilling steaks on Sunday evenings.

Bill and Ellen moved to Scottsdale in late 2021 to be near family. He is survived by his wife of 67 years; his daughters Susan and Mary Ellen; son William; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.