William H. Jarrard

William "Bill" Hess Jarrard was born on April 17, 1934, in Baltimore, Maryland. He passed away peacefully on July 9, 2025.
He was predeceased by his parents, William Irvin Jarrard and Bertha O'Dell (née Bullock) Jarrard; his brothers, Pratt and Daniel Jarrard; his sisters, Onie, Ruby, and Nellie; his wife, Geraldine "Gerry" (née Lawrence) Jarrard; nieces and nephews Helen, William, and Daniel; and his daughter-in-law, Cathy Jarrard.
He is survived by his sons, Warren Jarrard and David Jarrard; grandchildren, Alex and Abby Jarrard; nieces and nephews, Linda, James, Mary, Patricia, and Rosina; and by his beloved partner of eleven years, Judith A. Tapper; her children, Judith Dowell, Ruth Berwick, Brenda Banes, Diana Hicks, Tracy Tapper, and their families. Along with his family, he will be missed by his Navy friends and a loving community from Atco Presbyterian Church, the Waterford Township War Memorial Committee, and the Gold Star Moms of New Jersey who adopted Bill as one of their own.

Bill grew up in Baltimore, the youngest of six children. His call to duty came early, and the appeal to "Join the Navy and See the World" struck home. With his mother's permission, Bill joined the United States Navy at the age of 17. He served a decorated career, dedicating 26 years of his life to the United States military. He deployed on six different ships and held duty stations in Washington, D.C.; Yokosuka, Japan; Puget Sound, Washington; Naples, Italy; Norfolk, Virginia; New York; and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. His service to our country stood as his proudest accomplishment, and he continued sharing stories of his naval career until his final days. Following military retirement, Bill worked for General Dynamics in the Electric Boat division for 19 years.

In retirement, Bill enjoyed traveling and keeping in touch with his Navy buddies. He and Judi met in September 2014 at a Gold Star Mother event in Washington, D.C. They immediately found common ground with their appreciation for the military, veterans' causes, and travel. Bill moved to Atco, where he became part of the family and joined Atco United Presbyterian Church, attending faithfully with Judi. He enthusiastically participated in the causes that were important to them-especially the veteran, military, and Gold Star events-always happy to wear his dress blues and show his Navy pride.

Fair winds and following seas, Bill. You will be missed.

In honor of Bill's dedication to his faith, donations to Atco United Presbyterian Church would be a meaningful way to remember him. We kindly ask that no flowers be sent.

A viewing will be held on Monday, July 14, 2025, from 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM at Atco United Presbyterian Church, located at 2259 Atco Ave, Atco, NJ 08004. The Funeral Service will begin at 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM at the Church. Interment to follow on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, at 2:00 PM at the Brigadier General William C. Doyle Memorial Cemetery, located at 350 Province Line Rd, Wrightstown, NJ 08562.