Obituary of William Unrath

William A. Unrath passed away peacefully on Thursday, February 16. He was an honorable man of 84 years. Born in Jersey City, raised in Nutley, and a 58-year resident of Ramsey, he is preceded in death by brothers Charles, Robert, and E. Warren, and parents Louis and Elizabeth. Bill was proud of his military service to his country, enlisting in the U.S. Navy in 1946 where he was graduated from the Advanced Electronics Technician School. In 1950 during the Korean Conflict, he was assigned to the U.S.S. Weeden DE-797, where he served as ETM Petty Officer 1st Class before his honorable discharge in 1951. He proposed to Dorothy Ryan of Wyckoff in 1952, once his career with IBM was established. He continued working for IBM for 35 years as a Field Engineer in the financial district of N.Y.C., where for over a decade, he was the IBM representative for the New York Stock Exchange. A scholar and hobbyist with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, Bill received his B.S. in Environmental Science and Business in 1985 and his B.A. in Environmental Studies in 1992, both from Ramapo College. His ongoing education included medical science, blacksmithing, woodworking, stained glass, culinary arts, and jewelry making. He relished tinkering with electronics and radios, and was a licensed ham radio operator. Bill contributed his time and talents to many organizations near to his generous and abundant heart. He served as a Deacon and Elder of The First Presbyterian Church of Ramsey, volunteered building and repairing homes in the U.S. and abroad, prepared meals for shelters, and served on Ramsey's Environmental Commission and Planning Board. He was a 32nd degree Mason, served as Master of Hawthorne Fortitude Lodge in Ramsey, was a Shriner, and a member of the American Legion. Bill treasured time talking with friends; he loved a good meal and especially loved his family. He is survived by his wife of nearly 59 years, Dorothy; his children Barbara (Steven) Meyer of Gainesville, NY, Katherine of Kettering, OH; Karl of Webster, NY, and Gail of Hudson, NY; and his grandchildren Matthew, Christopher, Julianne, and Elizabeth. The family has held a private cremation. A memorial service celebrating Bill's life will take place on March 3 at 10:30 a.m. at The First Presbyterian Church, Ramsey, NJ. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Building & Grounds Committee of The First Presbyterian Church or the Masonic Charity Foundation of New Jersey. Arrangements by the Vander Plaat Funeral Home, www.vpfh.com, 257 Godwin Ave. Wyckoff, NJ 07481