William Warner Chesnut ’56

Bill came to Princeton from Lawrenceville, where he was on the football team. At Princeton, he was a member of Ivy Club and served as its secretary, majored in sociology, and played 150-pound football. He roomed with Campbell, Waxter, Monahan, Crimmins, McAusland, and Elliott in his senior year. In 1954 he was quarterback on Princeton’s championship 150-pound team. At graduation, we voted Bill the “Most Typical Princetonian.”

He served in the Marine Corps for three years and retired with the rank of major in the Reserve. His professional career was in the insurance business. Twenty years ago he met and married Rita, who was his soul mate for life. Bill had two sons, Charles and Christopher, by a prior marriage.  

Though slowed by Parkinson’s disease, Bill joined us with Rita at the 50th reunion, and Bill’s enthusiasm and charm were ever-present. The class extends its sympathy to Rita and to Bill’s sons on their and our loss.