William Joseph Gabriel Jr.'s Obituary
William "Bill" Gabriel, Jr., age 85, passed away on Saturday, December 15, in Annapolis, MD. Bill was born August 13th, 1933 in Clarksburg, WV to William Joseph Gabriel, Sr. and Sarah Delancey Gabriel. He was the fourth of six children and the only son. He went to school all twelve years at Unidis High School in West Milford, where he played sports including: basketball, football and swimming. In June 1952, married his high school sweetheart, Lucille Moss.
In 1953, he was drafted into the U.S. Army during the Korean War where he was schooled in cryptographic equipment repair and spent time serving our country at the Far East Headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. Upon his discharge he went to work at Melpar, Inc., in Fairfax, Virginia. Bill earned his college degree at American University in Washington, D.C. while going to school at night and working full time at Melpar. He worked for Westinghouse Corporation for 28 years, first in Linthicum, MD and then moved to the Bay Bridge, Annapolis location.
He is survived by his second wife of 54 years, Mary Needs, three children, Sonya Letwinsky, wife of the late Carl Letwinsky, Jr., William, III ("Billy"), his wife Sheree, Robin Underwood and her husband, Robert "Bob" Underwood, eight grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and two of his five sisters, Sarah Helen Jones and Martha Allman, of near Clarksburg, WV.
Bill faithfully served his church, Annapolis Evangelical Presbyterian for over forty years, and was an active member of The Gideons International for many years, handing out Bibles and teaching Bible studies at the Jennifer Road Detention Center in Annapolis. Bill was loved by all who knew him.
Funeral arrangments are by Lasting Tributes, 814 Bestgate Road, Annapolis, MD. A memorial service will be held at Evangelical Presbyterian Church, 710 Ridgely Ave, Annapolis, MD, on Friday, December 21, 2018, at 2:30 P.M.
In Lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Hospice of The Chesapeake, 90 Ritchie Hwy, Pasadena MD 21122, or by visiting: https://www.hospicechesapeake.org/giving/
What’s your fondest memory of William?
What’s a lesson you learned from William?
Share a story where William's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with William you’ll never forget.
How did William make you smile?