William Melvin Davidson ’40 *41

Bill Davidson died Dec. 21, 1998, after a prolonged illness. Margaret and Bob Goheen, Yick Kuwayama, and Buz Bedford '39 were among those attending his memorial service. Bill prepared at Montclair H.S. and at Princeton played soccer for four years, majored in engineering, and was president of the Princeton chapter of the American Electrical Engineering Institute and a member of Quadrangle Club. His junior- and senior-year roommates were Bob Goheen and Don Platten. Bill earned an MSEE from Princeton and a PhD from the U. of Pittsburgh.

Bill was an individual of unusual talents and diverse interests -- an inventor; a rocket scientist with Thioko Chemical; developer of undersea recovery systems for Proteus Inc.; and an electrical engineer for Westinghouse. Also he was a carpenter, mason, mechanic, fixer, Mountain Lakes [N.J.] borough councilman, and Rotarian. Bill was active in the Mountain Lakes Community Church, served on neighborhood boards, and devoted his time to helping the less fortunate. Golf and sailing were hobbies, and he held a number of sailing championships in his age group, including a first place in the Senior Olympics.

Bill is survived by three sons, two daughters, and 10 grandchildren. '40 extends its deepest sympathy to the entire family and will treasure the memory and friendship of this low-key, caring, multi-talented classmate.

The Class of 1940