William “Bill” B. Cruwys

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution announces with great sorrow the death of retiree William “Bill” B. Cruwys on February 8, after a long courageous fight with cancer.  He was 76.

Bill was born in Arlington, MA, on July 10, 1934, to the late Arial E. (Slocum) and William F. Cruwys.  He was married to Sandra L. Cruwys on Oct 13, 1978.

Bill began his career at WHOI in 1981 as a security guard and retired in 2008.

Bill was a devoted husband, father, and family man.  He attended John Wesley United Methodist Church in Falmouth. He served honorably in the Navy, earning the National Defense Metal during the Korean War.

Bill was a life member of the American Vets Post 70 and a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign War post 2569. He was also a member of the Korean Defense Veterans of America Peace Keepers Detachment #9, and past Commander of the Korean War Vets, Cape Cod Chapter.

Bill is survived by his brother, Donald Cruwys, and two sisters, Judy and Leslie. He also leaves daughters, Ruthanne Bousquet (husband Craig) of Albany, NY; Holly A. Bourque of Falmouth, MA; Lori L. Sexton (husband Ed) of St. Joseph, MO; Tina M. Nickerson (husband Bill) of Dover, NH; and sons, Robert E. Baker (wife Donna) of Hudson, NH; and Paul J. Cruwys of Rochester, MA. He is also survived by 12 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Visiting hours will be from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m., on Thursday, February 10, at the Chapman Cole & Gleason Funeral Home, 74 Algonquin Avenue (at Route 151) in Mashpee. A funeral service will be held at 1:00 p.m., on Friday February 11, in the funeral home.  Burial will follow at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne, MA. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the American Veterans Post 70, 336 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA 02540.

Some of the information for this obituary was taken from the Cape Cod Times.