Bill died in La Jolla, Calif., Sept. 23, 2003.
A Lawrenceville graduate, Bill roomed at Princeton with Al Wenzell. He played freshman and JV lacrosse, and was University 135-lb. boxing champion. He was president of the Intramural Athletic Assn., and a member of the undergraduate council, senior class day committee, and Quadrangle Club. Bill's father, five-star fleet admiral William F. Halsey, was one of our honorary classmates.
Bill worked for DuPont and NBC before joining the Navy for four years, two aboard the carrier USS Saratoga, mostly in the South Pacific. In 1950 he moved his family to La Jolla. He worked in real estate development with heavyweight boxing champion Gene Tunney. In 1960 Bill was tapped by Pres. Eisenhower to lead the People-to-People Tennis and Golf Program, designed to advance international friendships. He and his wife, Helga, arranged more than 200 tours of the US and other countries over a 20-year period until his retirement in 1997.
Bill received a class distinguished service award at our 65th reunion.
Survivors include Helga; daughters Heidi '96, our youngest class "baby," Jane, and Anne; and grandson Matthew Halsey Smith. The class extends sympathy to all.
The Class of 1938