William David Brucker

Born in Rome, New York to the late William H. and Caroline Brucker (nee Williams), Bill was a graduate of Woodlands High School in Greenburgh, New York. He went on to attend Salem College in West Virginia, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Humanities. It was at Salem College where he met the love of his life, Kathleen Moll. After graduation, the two were married and moved to White Plains and then Parsippany before settling in Somerville in 1976.

Scouting was always an important part of Bill’s life, and he took pride in the fact that he earned the prestigious honor of Eagle Scout. Upon graduation, Bill took a full-time job with the Boy Scouts of America and spent many summers working at Curtis S. Read Scout Reservation in Brant Lake, NY. Camp Read held a special place in Bill’s heart, as it was the place his own father took him as a boy. He also forged lifetime friendships there and served as a positive role model for generations of scouts.

Following his tenure with the Boy Scouts, Bill held a long and successful career as a Human Relations professional. He held executive roles at Procter & Gamble, RJR Nabisco and the Journal of Commerce before retiring as the Vice President of Human Relations at Inrad Optics in 2015. Most recently, Bill worked at Somerville Ace Hardware, where he took pride in helping his neighbors choose the perfect paint color, troubleshoot home improvement projects or just have a friendly chat. Bill’s warm demeanor and effusive sense of humor made him a favorite to all who had the privilege to know him.

In his spare time, Bill enjoyed driving his Ford Mustang and spending as much time as he could with his family. He was a devoted grandfather, and enjoyed watching his grandsons wrestle or play baseball. Bill was also an avid fisherman, and loved fishing for bass in the Adirondack Mountains or trying to catch flounder off the Jersey Shore. Bill had a special place in his heart for animals, especially his grand-dogs.

Surviving are his beloved wife of almost 54 years, Kathleen Brucker, his loving children, William “Billy” Brucker and wife Beth, and Kristin Brucker, his cherished grandsons William and Matthew, his dear siblings Robert and wife Sharon, Richard and wife Joanne, Dale and wife Jeannie, Dr. Joanne Gates and husband Greg, and Dr. Thomas Gates and wife Elizabeth, as well as many nieces, nephews, extended family, and friends.

Visitation will be held from 10:00 to 1:00PM, on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at Cusick Funeral Home, 80 Mountain Avenue, Somerville. At the request of the family, attendees are asked to wear colors vibrant as Bill’s personality.

Funeral services will begin with a prayer at 1:00PM at the funeral home. If you are not able to attend in person, please join the live stream of the prayer service on Zoom .

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Camp Read Association, c/o Bill Daley, President. 3220 Mohegan Ave., Mohegan Lake, NY 10547, or Donate Online .