William Frederick Ranscht Jr.

Bill a resident of Brewster passed away on March 7 at Cape Cod Hospital. He was the son of William F. Ranscht and Marion Cushman Ranscht, residents of White Plains, NY. Born January 28, 1933, he attended White Plains public schools and entered Wesleyan University in the fall of 1950. He was the captain of the basketball and track teams. He set the Wesleyan record in the high hurdles, a record which stood for 49 years. In 2008, he was inducted into the Wesleyan University Athletic Hall of Fame as a member of the undefeated track teams in the ’50’s. In the fall of his senior year he met his future wife, a nursing student at Middlesex Memorial Hospital in Middletown, CT. Following a two year stint in the Army, they were married in the Church of the Holy Spirit, Orleans, MA.

Bill and Nancy resided in White Plains where Nancy worked at the local hospital and Bill who obtained a law degree from Fordham University and joined the prestigious law firm Smith, Ranscht, Pollack and Barnes in 1959. They moved to Bedford, NY where they raised their family and eventually retiring to Cape Cod. He enjoyed all sports, and working as a coach in the activities where his children were involved. In addition to sports he had love for his yard and gardening. Bill is survived by his wife Nancy (Hubbard) of 65 years, and 3 children David (widowed), Betsy Mirsky (Peter) and Carl (Virginia) and 6 grandchildren, Katie, Rachel, Samantha, Julia, Nate and Harrison. A Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, April 2nd at 11:00 AM at Church of the Holy Spirit in Orleans. For online condolences, please visit www.nickersonfunerals.com.