William W. Gager, Jr., 83, of Cheshire, died Sunday, November 29, 2009. Mr. Gager was the husband of Eleanor (Welton) Gager. Mr. Gager was born February 18, 1926 in Waterbury, son of the late Atty. William W. Gager, Sr. and Dorothy Hall Gager. He was predeceased in 1926 by a sister, Elizabeth Gager. A quiet and unassuming member of what we have come to call The Greatest Generation, he was a veteran of the Navy, having served during WW II in the Pacific. He attended The Gunnery School in Washington, CT and the Cheshire Academy. He was a graduate of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA. and spent his career in commerce and distribution. A lover of the water, he spent much of his life sailing and boating throughout the Chesapeake Bay area and Long Island Sound. He was a member of the U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary for over 50 years and a member of the First Congregational Church in Cheshire.
Besides his wife Eleanor of 53 years, he is survived by his daughter Dorothy E. Gager of Cheshire and his daughter Sarah E. Gager and her husband, Arthur J. DuBois Jr. of Washington, CT, his sister in law, Barbara H. Welton of Cheshire and several nieces, nephews, grand nieces and nephews and a great grand niece and nephew. Mr. Gager also leaves two cousins; Mr. Ted Torrance of Rhode Island and Florida and his family and Mr. Robert Gager of California and his family.
A memorial service of the celebration of his life will be held on Friday, December 4, 2009 at 1:00 pm at Alderson Funeral Home of Cheshire 615 South Main St. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in his name to: First Congregational Church of Cheshire, 111 Church Drive, Cheshire, CT. 06410 or the Meriden Humane Society, 311 Murdock Ave., Meriden, CT. 06450