William E. Strawderman Sr.

William Edward Strawderman, Sr., PhD, 83 of Belle Mead died on October 1, 2024, after a courageous battle with cancer. While Bill was a native of Rhode Island, his passion for math and academia led him ultimately to Rutgers University where he spent over 50 years shaping young minds, mentoring and collaborating with statisticians around the world, and achieving numerous career achievements.
He became a Distinguished Professor and Department Chair at Rutgers, was a fellow in both the American Statistical Society and Institute of Mathematical Statistics and was lauded as a guy who could solve previously unsolvable problems, being honored for these and many other contributions as a distinguished alum by both Rutgers (PhD) and Cornell University (MS). He was a tough act to follow.
But he wasn't just a math nerd. He was a gentle, caring, and likeable person (except during the peak of his kids' teenage antics). The beach was his happy place, where you could find him listening to music, reading and sharing amazing moments with his family and a stunning view of the Atlantic. Bill loved to mix pleasure and stats, teaching during many summers in Rouen, France and traveling around with Susan (LiCausi) Strawderman, his late wife.
He played in a band for years, resurrecting talent he developed through high school and college as an accomplished musician. Although he played several instruments with varying levels of skill over the years, he was particularly fond of playing the clarinet. You could also expect Bill to enjoy every kind of cuisine under the sun, though his greatest culinary skill involved a microwave, a toaster and not very much effort.
Bill was such a special man to his family, friends and colleagues that people usually have a story about the impact he had on them. "Thank goodness for all the joy Bill brought us" is just one fitting tribute among those pouring in from longtime friends and colleagues upon news of his passing. He will be dearly missed and fondly recalled.
Son of the late Robert and Alida (Dow) Strawderman, husband of the late Susan (LiCausi) Strawderman, brother of the late Wayne Strawderman, Bob Strawderman, he is survived by 4 children and their spouses Rob and Myla Strawderman, Bill and Jinny Strawderman, Heather and Jim Marx, Kay LiCausi and Matt McDermott, a sister-in-law Nancy Strawderman, and 6 grandchildren he adored - Tommy, Emma, Will, Evan, AJ and Lily.
A celebration of Bill's life will be held on October 26th, 2024, at 10:30 am at Saint Joseph's Church in Hillsborough, NJ on 34 Yorktown Road. Burial will be private. The repast will be announced later.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory can be made to a charity of your choice. His children have selected The American Cancer Society, and St. Jude's to continue to advance funding for life saving research and treatment.
Funeral Arrangements are under the direction of the Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton.