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August 9, 2013
Services
Friends may visit with the family on Tuesday, August 13, 2013 from 4-8 PM at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne.
Funeral services will be held 10 AM on Wednesday, August 14, 2013 at the funeral home.
Interment will be in Fair Lawn Cemetery, Fair Lawn.
William M. Sackett age 95 of Wayne, Haskell, and Butler died peacefully on Friday, August 9, 2013.
"Bill" was born and raised in Hawthorne and graduated with the first graduating class from Hawthorne High School in 1935. He lived in Prospect Park and worked first at a service station pumping gasoline, and later worked for the Little Falls Laundry in the shirt department. This is where he met his wife Eleanor. Bill found out what street she lived on and drove his Model A Ford there and saw her outside. He stopped, they started talking, and before he knew it they were on their way to Libby’s Lunch where he had a hot dog and she had a roast beef sandwich. They fell in love and married in South Dakota where Bill was stationed with the Army Air Corps. They enjoyed many years of loving marriage before Eleanor’s passing in 1989.
Bill enlisted in the Cadet program with the Army and served in the United States Army Air Corps from 1942 through 1945. During his time in the Corps he received three Air Medals, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, and one Recognition from the government of China. As part of the flight crew on a C46 Cargo Plane his responsibilities varied from Radio Operator to Co-Pilot. He remembered carrying all sorts of cargo to supply our troops in China, Burma, and India. Flying “The Hump,” which was a route over the Himalayan Mountains from India to China, to resupply the Chinese war effort. This route was especially dangerous as there was a lack of reliable charts, no navigation aids, and unpredictable weather – their navigation was generally a compass and eyesight. He also remembered having lunch with Frank Merril of the famous Merril’s Marauders. He was a proud member of the Hump Pilot’s Association, the Air Force Association, the American Legion, and was a leader in the Explorer Scouts for many years.
After his military service William worked for the Curtis Wright Corporation in Caldwell as a Field Engineer. He would later go on to become President of Tri County Leasing a division of Atkins Chevrolet in Wayne from 1961 through 1987.
He enjoyed talking about his WWII memories and his extensive travels in the China-India-Burma region during WWII. He especially loved the ocean. After his service he would spend all of his spare time, weekends, vacation time, and even set up lights to build his own home on Mountain Ridge Drive in Wayne. It took him and his wife eighteen months to complete the house as they built everything from the foundation to the rooftop themselves.
William was the loving husband of the late Eleanor (nee Michaelson ) Sackett (1989). After the passing of Eleanor he enjoyed a special companionship with the late Anne Macko. He was a devoted father of Joyce Ann Osborne who is the wife of William of Lancaster, PA, and Brian Sackett of O’Fallon, IL; he was the proud grandfather of six grandchildren, and eight great grandchildren.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends may visit with the family on Tuesday, August 13, 2013 from 4-8 PM at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne.
Funeral services will be held 10 AM on Wednesday, August 14, 2013 at the funeral home.
Interment will be in Fair Lawn Cemetery, Fair Lawn.
August 9, 2013
Services
Friends may visit with the family on Tuesday, August 13, 2013 from 4-8 PM at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne.
Funeral services will be held 10 AM on Wednesday, August 14, 2013 at the funeral home.
Interment will be in Fair Lawn Cemetery, Fair Lawn.
William M. Sackett age 95 of Wayne, Haskell, and Butler died peacefully on Friday, August 9, 2013.
"Bill" was born and raised in Hawthorne and graduated with the first graduating class from Hawthorne High School in 1935. He lived in Prospect Park and worked first at a service station pumping gasoline, and later worked for the Little Falls Laundry in the shirt department. This is where he met his wife Eleanor. Bill found out what street she lived on and drove his Model A Ford there and saw her outside. He stopped, they started talking, and before he knew it they were on their way to Libby’s Lunch where he had a hot dog and she had a roast beef sandwich. They fell in love and married in South Dakota where Bill was stationed with the Army Air Corps. They enjoyed many years of loving marriage before Eleanor’s passing in 1989.
Bill enlisted in the Cadet program with the Army and served in the United States Army Air Corps from 1942 through 1945. During his time in the Corps he received three Air Medals, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, and one Recognition from the government of China. As part of the flight crew on a C46 Cargo Plane his responsibilities varied from Radio Operator to Co-Pilot. He remembered carrying all sorts of cargo to supply our troops in China, Burma, and India. Flying “The Hump,” which was a route over the Himalayan Mountains from India to China, to resupply the Chinese war effort. This route was especially dangerous as there was a lack of reliable charts, no navigation aids, and unpredictable weather – their navigation was generally a compass and eyesight. He also remembered having lunch with Frank Merril of the famous Merril’s Marauders. He was a proud member of the Hump Pilot’s Association, the Air Force Association, the American Legion, and was a leader in the Explorer Scouts for many years.
After his military service William worked for the Curtis Wright Corporation in Caldwell as a Field Engineer. He would later go on to become President of Tri County Leasing a division of Atkins Chevrolet in Wayne from 1961 through 1987.
He enjoyed talking about his WWII memories and his extensive travels in the China-India-Burma region during WWII. He especially loved the ocean. After his service he would spend all of his spare time, weekends, vacation time, and even set up lights to build his own home on Mountain Ridge Drive in Wayne. It took him and his wife eighteen months to complete the house as they built everything from the foundation to the rooftop themselves.
William was the loving husband of the late Eleanor (nee Michaelson ) Sackett (1989). After the passing of Eleanor he enjoyed a special companionship with the late Anne Macko. He was a devoted father of Joyce Ann Osborne who is the wife of William of Lancaster, PA, and Brian Sackett of O’Fallon, IL; he was the proud grandfather of six grandchildren, and eight great grandchildren.
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