William Howard Tamraz Jr

William Howard Tamraz Jr., known to most as "Bill," died Saturday March 8, 2025, and the world lost a great friend, father & grandfather. He was predeceased by his wife, Barbara, of 57 years, in 2022. Bill lived many lives, from a kid running around the Yonkers of his youth in the 1940's & 1950's-remembered so vividly that he left behind hand-drawn maps & detailed memories of his neighborhood- to vice-president of Herk Elevator of NYC, to award-winning watercolor & graphics artist; yet because he was often a quiet guy, there's a good chance you may not have known how simply great he was. Married to Barbara Ann Wichman in 1965, they honeymooned in Bermuda, significant enough to him that souvenirs of the island were still treasured & saved. He described his & Barbara's relocation to Sunset Beach as a "second honeymoon", complete with setting up a new home together, discovering all the places they could enjoy and just being unburdened by life's obligations to simply be at the beach. Bill is survived by his four daughters: Dana Tamraz & Daniel Attias of Tennessee, Lisa Tamraz & Vincent D'amato of New York, Nicole Tamraz of NY, and Lauren Tamraz & Eric Judson, along with Bill's beloved grandson, Julian, of New York. He will be missed by his nephew Danny Nguyen of Texas and his family, nephews Christopher Wichman & family of Connecticut, Keith Wichman and his family of New York, sister-in-law Mary Lu Wichman of Connecticut, cousins Hope, Vanessa & Victoria Tamraz of CA, cousin Philip Moroch of Nevada and many cousins in FL. In addition to his wife, Barbara, he was predeceased by his dear brother Jonathan, mother Anna Kinn Tamraz Fredericks and father, William H. Tamraz Sr., whom he had missed for over 70 years of his life. Beyond his quiet facade, Bill was a man who loved to observe. He was a wonderful storyteller and appreciated sharing tales of his youth, his colorful Persian & Ukrainian ancestors and his many days in NYC court representing Herk Elevator Company. Chief among those stories in later years was his harrowing experience of being trapped in the NYC subway & escaping with the help of the NYPD to walk to safely from the World Trade Center attacks back to his office in the Bronx through the terrifying chaos of Sept. 11, 2001. The walk was 12 miles & took him all day through the rubble and uncertainty. The city was in turmoil: no phones worked, but as he approached the building on Grand Concourse, he heard the company begin to shout his name–they were holding lookout on the roof, and assured him no one was going home until Bill had returned safely. That day was his & Barbara's 36th wedding anniversary and that is surely what propelled him home. But that day left a shadow over his health and his heart for the rest of his life, and ultimately contributed to our loss. Among his many ways of helping the world, Bill was an avid fisherman in the 1970's & 1980's and worked as a Hudson River environmentalist, receiving recognition for his work to clean PCBs from the river of his youth and his artistic inspiration. Boats & life on the water dominated his catalog of artwork. He was a Boy Scout & a Freemason like his father before him, and he kept his many badges & awards, for which his daughters are grateful. He believed in paying his own gratitude forward and studied to become a Stephen Minister at Seaside United Methodist Church in Sunset Beach, after losing his wife. He credited the church's grief counseling with helping him to continue on after her 2022 passing and cherished his role helping others survive such losses. It's impossible to point to a life of 82 years and say, "this part is the most important," but it's indeed likely that where his impact had the farthest reach was a friend of Bill Wilson's. He never lost his faith and he always offered his to those who needed it for 53 years. Perhaps it is there that this "Old Timer" will be missed most. With love & gratitude from all who appreciated him. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation in Bill's name to Lower Cape Fear Life Care. https://www.tmcfunding.com/funds/william-h-tamraz-jr/12816/ A family service was held on Thursday, March 13, 2025 in Ocean Isle, NC.