William Rockwell Dederer ’99

Bill died Aug. 17, 2006, while entertaining children with disabilities at a summer camp.

He was born June 3, 1977, in Westfield, N.Y., and raised in Fredonia, N.Y. and Plaistow, N.H. As a child, Bill performed widely as a boy soprano, singing with many renowned opera companies across the United States.

He was graduated from Phillips Academy in 1995 and from Princeton University, with a degree in East Asian Studies and a certificate in Theatre and Modern Dance, in 1999. Bill was a member of Ivy Club,  director and arranger for the a cappella group Shere Khan, and a performer in BodyHype and various dramas and musicals. He was also a member of the track and cross-country teams. Four of his summers were spent studying or teaching in the Republic of China.

As a creative arts specialist at Fostertown ETC School in Newburgh, N.Y., and CS 6 in the Bronx, Bill spent his career composing, directing, and producing original operas and musical performances.

Bill is survived by his parents, William B. and Julia Ary Dederer, and maternal grandparents, Daniel and Florence Ary of Orlando, Fla. He was predeceased by his paternal grandparents, William M. and Marion B. Dederer, and an uncle, Robert N. Dederer. Memorial gifts may be made to The Trustees of Phillips Academy, 180 Main St., Andover, Mass., 01810, designated to the William R. Dederer Fund.

The class extends its deepest sympathies to Bill’s family and friends.