William F. Gavitt Jr. ’55
William F. Gavitt Jr. ’55 died May 8 in Riverside, California. He came to Dartmouth from Waverly High School in Rhode Island and majored in geography. He was a member of Air Force ROTC, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, the DOC, and the Yacht Club. Commissioned a lieutenant in 1956, Bill began a 30-year career in the Air Force that would take him to 19 countries and nine bases in the United States. He served in the Strategic Air Command, working with Atlas, Titan, and Minuteman missile programs. Bill became a distinguished graduate of the Naval War College and earned an M.S. in economics from South Dakota State University. After he retired as a colonel in 1986, Bill and his wife, Shirleyann, lived 35 years in Riverside. Bill served six years on the board of the Military Officers Association of America, working for veteran’s rights, pay, and benefits. His Dartmouth alumni activities included service as an admissions interviewer and with the College’s career network. Bill is survived by Shirleyann, sons Gregory and Jeffrey, and daughter Lori.
