Obituary of William T. Reedy

William T. Reedy Jr. of South Plainfield passed away peacefully on Thursday, June 28 at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, surrounded by loved ones. William (called 'Bill' by friends) was a resident of South Plainfield for over thirty years, raised originally in Iselin. Bill graduated from Montclair State University, class of 1967 with a degree in visual arts. He went on to become an art teacher at John F. Kennedy Memorial High School and later band director. He was well-respected and liked by his students, making huge impacts in their lives and acting as a positive role model. Several of his students maintained contact with him long after their graduations and his retirement. Bill was always occupied with a number of various professions. Concurrently with his employment as a teacher at John F. Kennedy Memorial High School, he was also Chief of Security for Yankee Stadium, travelling to New York City once the school day had ended. As a teacher, he enjoyed summers free from his primary and secondary jobs, and indulged his longing for adventure and exploration by immersing himself in other countries and cultures, visiting most of Europe, Iceland, Mexico's Yucatan, and South Africa. Bill was an avid historian with strong interests in the culture and history of colonial period of America. This interest developed into an interest in collecting antique firearms, which lead to his membership with the Brigade of the American Revolution and Morgan's Rifles. He was an excellent shot, and earned a position on the U.S. International Muzzle Loading Team, competing for the United States against various other countries. He had an extensive interest and skill with photography, specializing in an archaic form of photography called platinotypes. His love for adventure matched his love for photography, always capturing stunning impressions of the places he travelled. This interest manifested in employment both by the News Tribune, National Geographic, and as a NGO during the Cambodian Civil War, documenting the conflict. Bill was predeceased by his loving wife Eileen Mallen. He leaves his cousin, Thomas Scanlon, his wife Judy, and close friends Ann Marie Silvia, Andrea Leon, Alyssa Gonzalez, Rick Shields, John Zebrowski, and Don Maher. Visitation will be held on Thursday, July 5, 2018 from 6-9pm in the South Plainfield Funeral Home 2456 Plainfield Ave. South Plainfield, NJ 07080. Funeral Services will be held on Friday, July 6, 2018 beginning at 10AM in the funeral home. Entombment will follow at Woodbridge Memorial Garden, Woodbridge, NJ. To view a variety of Bill's photography collection please visit Photo Gallery