Obituary of William B Paton
William Brewster Paton, 86, died on October 2, 2018 after a brief illness, at Fellowship Village in Basking
Ridge. Bill was the son of Alexander William Paton and Katherine Brewster Paton. He was predeceased
by his sister, June.
Raised in Maplewood, Bill graduated from Blair Academy and attended Babson College. He served in the
US Army Ordnance Corps during the Korean War. Bill worked in the family business, the Brewster-Ideal
Dairy Maid Chocolate Company of Newark, founded in 1866, eventually rising to the position of
president. Later he worked as a broker for Weichert Realtors.
Bill resided most of his life in New Vernon with his wife of 65 years, Bernice, enjoying summers with
their family in Sea Girt and South Orleans, MA. A direct descendent of Mayflower Elder William
Brewster, Bill presided over festive annual Thanksgivings, celebrating accounts of the Plymouth Colony’s
spiritual leader and their first feast.
Active in Harding Township community life, Bill served on the Board of Health for eight years, and was a
member of the Civic Association. He belonged to the First Presbyterian Church of New Vernon, where he
helped manage its various stages of historic restoration.
Bill loved the outdoors and was an avid skier, boater, hunter and fisherman. An accomplished
equestrian, he rode with the Spring Valley Hounds and competed in hunter paces. Bill was an active,
longtime member of the Tewksbury Foot Bassets Hunt Committee. He was president of the Morris
County Bridle Path Association, and volunteered on the planning and event-day staff for the Bonnie Brae
Polo Classic, the Far Hills Race Meeting and Gladstone driving events. He helped found and fundraise for
the Somerset Hills Handicapped Riders Center, now known as Mane Stream.
Bill is survived by his wife, Bernice Gaal Paton; three children: Kathi Paton, Basking Ridge; John Paton
(Margaret), Mt. Arlington; Jeni Cisek (Michael), Florham Park; six grandchildren; three great-
grandchildren; four nieces and a nephew. Friends and family are invited to a memorial service at the
First Presbyterian Church of New Vernon at 11 AM on November 3 rd . Donations in Bill's memory may be
made to Mane Stream, www.manestreamnj.org, or First Presbyterian Church of New Vernon.