William H. Reuter, 94, died at home on July 8 after a full and fortunate life. He was predeceased by his wife of over 60 years, Jean McGoldrick Reuter, who he met while skiing Berthoud Pass in Colorado, and is survived by their large extended family: 6 daughters, Ann Marie, Wendy, Alyce, Melinda, Mary and Susanna; their husbands; 21 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
A proud veteran of WWII and the Korean Conflict, he attended Columbia University on a full academic scholarship and graduated with degrees
in Industrial Engineering and Psychology.
In 1951 he joined Educational Testing Service in Princeton. There he was instrumental in developing computer scoring and planning their Rosedale campus. He was hired by American Express in 1963 to design and oversee the installation of their first international telecommunications network. Later in his career, he was a consultant with Systrin Information Systems and held management positions at the Bowery Savings Bank, Colonial Penn Insurance Company, and Johnson & Johnson.
He moved his family to the house he designed in Pennington in 1959 and dedicated much of his time to serving the community. For 38 years, he was on the Pennington Planning Board, most of that time as Chairman. Under his leadership, the first Borough Master Plan was passed and implemented. In addition, he served 2 terms on the Borough Council, 36 years on the Environmental Commission and was on the boards of Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space and the Stony Brook Millstone Watershed Association. He was also involved in the preservation of Curlis Lake and the Beechwoods, and the redirection of I-95 around Hopewell Valley. He took great pride in his civic contributions and especially in the successful preservation of the D&R Greenway.
Most importantly, he was a beloved husband, father and grandfather, who enjoyed international travel and family reunions on Martha’s Vineyard and the Jersey Shore. Throughout his life he remained interested in world affairs, fine arts, scientific advancements, classical music and land conservation. He was also a devoted Catholic and long-time lector at Saint James Church in Pennington.
A memorial Mass will be celebrated at Saint James Church at 9:00 in the morning on August 3rd, followed by his internment in Pennington Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Doctors Without Borders or Saint James Church.