William D. Fraser, 74, of 23 South Shore Road, Cuba Lake
passed away unexpectedly Wednesday, November 13, 2019 at home.
Born on July 11, 1945 in North Tonawanda, New York Bill was
a son of William and Rose VanKleeck Fraser.
On November 27, 1971 at St. Mary’s of the Angels Church, he married the
former Catherine A. Griffin who predeceased him on March 8, 2015.
Bill was a graduate of Tonawanda Senior High School, Class
of 1963. He then went on to receive his
bachelor’s degree in education from Hobart College graduating in 1967. Later he received his master’s degree from
the University of Miami. He also did
course work at St. Bonaventure University.
After college he made his home in Olean and started teaching
American History at Olean High School.
After several years he became a guidance counselor at Olean High
School. During the summer he proudly
worked with the Youth Corp. Later he
became a union negotiator for the teacher’s union and helped settle contracts
throughout the Southern-Tier.
After retirement and until recently, Bill taught courses at
Jamestown Community College and St. Bonaventure University.
Bill proudly served on several boards of non-profit
organizations including the United Way of Olean, the Cuba Circulating Library
and the Boy Scouts of America, having achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in his
younger years.
He was especially fond of all the friendships and
acquaintances he made throughout his life and will be remembered as a person
who was able to find something special in everyone that he touched.
Any recounting of Bill’s life would be incomplete if it did
not include his love of living on Cuba Lake, his yearly winter visits to St.
Augustine, Florida, and his devotion to his lifetime buddies from school,
college and the staff and gang at Moonwinks.
He truly believed in supporting Cuba businesses. He leaves behind two sisters Ellen Hewlett and Janet
Thompson, both of Hendersonville, NC, his loving friend and companion Sue
Feldbauer of Cuba, NY, the entire Griffin family.
Friends will be received from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m.
Thursday (Nov. 21, 2019) at the Mark F. Rinker Funeral Home & Memorial
Service Inc., 9 Bull St., Cuba. Friends
will be received again on Friday (Nov. 22, 2019) at the Cuba United Methodist
Church, 49 E. Main St., Cuba, at 10am preceding a celebration of life service
at 11:00 a.m. the Rev. Rebecca Worth, will officiate.
Private burial will be at St. Bonaventure Cemetery,
Allegany, New York.
The family requests memorials be made to the Cuba
Circulating Library or to the William D. and Catherine Griffin Fraser Fund at
the Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation Fund, which helps fund medical and
educational needs in the area. Online condolences may be sent at www.rinkerfuneralhome.com.
