Bill Gill Jr.

Bill Gill Jr.

AGE: 81 •

Bill Gill, Jr. died peacefully on June 30, 2017 at the young age of 81. Bill grew up in Jersey City. He was the son of William Gill, Sr. and Mary (Higgens), and brother to Lawrence, Mary (Good), Cecilia (Della Croce), and Daniel.

As a young man Bill wanted to explore the world. He served four years in the U.S. Air Force and achieved the rank of Airman First Class A/1C. He was awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal for having organized and operated the surveying section in the Installations Division at Brookley AFB, in Mobile, AL. His favorite memory while serving 12 months in Goosebay, Laborador, Canada was seeing the Northern Lights of the Aurora Borealis.

Bill was a skilled craftsman who was proud to make his living with the United Brotherhood of Carpenters Local #2018 construction union. Some of the projects he was involved in included the Ocean County Mall, the Newport Mall in Jersey City, the Great Adventure Run A Way Train Castle, and many of the local Home Depot stores. Bill and his parents built the Bayville Dairy Queen in the 1960s and operated it for many years. These were just a few of the marks he left to prove the hours and miles he traveled throughout his career.

While in the Air Force he met his first wife and settled in Bayville to raise his daughters, Veronica Keene and Michele Nugent. In later years, he nurtured and became a father to Ronald, Mark, and Roy Nichols, and Karin Marshall.

Bill joined the Bayville First Aid Squad soon after moving to Bayville which afforded him lasting friendships and allowed him to serve his community as a life-time member. During his time with the Squad he served as Captain, President and Trustee. He also served the Volunteer First Aid effort at the State Level. First with the local District of the New Jersey First Aid Council as Chairman then serving as Southern Area Vice-President and Council President. During his Council tenure he was an advocate to have the NJ Good Samaritan law passed. His legacy of first aid service continues through his daughter and granddaughters.

After retirement he became a digital photo expert. He toured America on cross country trips. He honed his skill for writing short stories, some of which were prize winners.

He met his wife Henrietta (Holcombe) and moved to Georgia. Henni and Bill traveled, danced, and enjoyed theater before receiving the most welcome blessing of raising her three grandchildren: Brock, Jacob, and Emily. Bill passed away peacefully in their home surrounded by love and holding Henni's hand.

You are invited to attend his memorial service and interment on Saturday, July 15, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. at the Bayville cemetery located on Route 9 in Bayville, NJ. In lieu of flowers, the family requests you make a donation in his name to the Bayville First Aid Squad, PO Box 374, Bayville, NJ 08721.