Rev. William A. Studwell

Studwell, Rev. William A.

Rev. William A. Studwell, 87, of Winter Park, FL and Silver Springs MD, died peacefully on January 22, 2012 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. A Methodist minister who served churches in Connecticut, New York, India and Florida over a career spanning more than 40 years, Bill Studwell was a source of inspiration, comfort and spiritual strength to family, friends and congregation. He was born in Greenwich, CT on May 27, 1924, the eldest of five children of George Studwell and Marjorie Odell Studwell. He graduated with honors from Stamford High School in 1942 and entered Trinity College, Hartford, CT, but enlisted in the Army after his freshman year. In 1944-46, he served in France with the 66th "Black Panther" Infantry Division as an anti-tank gunner and interpreter. Returning home, Bill married his high school sweetheart, Margaret "Peggy" Worley on Sept. 3, 1946. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Trinity College and thereafter from Yale Divinity School. He served as the pastor of the Pound Ridge Community Church, Pound Ridge, NY for 10 years before moving to New Delhi, India where, as minister of the Union Church, he played an influential role in the life of the U.S. expatriate community. Returning to the U.S. in 1965, he served the Methodist churches in Kingston, NY and Pleasantville, NY. After Peggy's death in 1973, Bill married Barbara Richmond of Chappaqua, NY. He and Barbara combined their families in the parsonage in Pleasantville until moving to Florida where Bill served Methodist churches in Clermont and Orlando, FL before retiring from the active ministry. In retirement, he was an active golfer and retained a lively interest in reading, politics, cinema, conversation and the lives of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Bill Studwell is survived by his wife, Barbara Studwell; his sisters, Carol de la Torre and Judy Studwell Hunt; his children, Cheryl Studwell Lazaroff of Tucson, AZ, Thomas Studwell of New York, NY, Kathryn Studwell Sabino of Sherburne, NY, Philip Studwell of Brunswick, ME, David Studwell of Ithaca, NY, Patricia Studwell Vaughan of Granger, IN; his stepchildren, Clint Richmond of Brookline, MA, Donna Richmond Selden of Silver Springs, MD and Gail Richmond Robinson of Midlothian, VA; 19 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be scheduled at a later date.