Obituary of William P. Cadwallader

Dr. Willam P. Cadwallader, Jr. of Homer, NY, died on July 5, 2013, at the age of 75 after a courageous battle with glioblastoma multiforme. Bill was born in Salem, NJ on April 20, 1938.Bill was the second child of William Sr. and Marian L. Cadwallader. He was married to Jean Patricia Kitts on June 11, 1961 in Ithaca, NY. They have three children, Beth (Kent) Horsager of Minneapolis, MN; Blake (Lori Thrune) of Eden Prairie, MN; and Deb (Harrison) Taylor of Nashville, TN.Bill is survived by his soul mate and wife Jean, his children, and his brother Asa (Ann) Cadwallader of Salem, NJ. He is also survived by ten grandchildren: Aaron, Janet, Phillip Horsager; Parry, Mollie, Ally Cadwallader, Emily Thrune; and Hayes, Reed, Elise Taylor. He is further survived by many cousins, nieces, and nephews. Preceding him in death are his parents, sister Susan C. Fletcher.Bill grew up on a dairy farm in southern New Jersey learning the fruits of hard work and musical humor of Phil Harris. He attended the George School in Newtown, PA where he made many lasting friendships and admired teachers who instilled a love and passion for life-long learning. He did his undergraduate work at the University of Pennsylvania and received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY.Upon graduation in 1962, Bill and Jean moved to Homer, NY where Bill began his work as a veterinarian for large and small animals. In 1965 as a Conscientious Objector to the Vietnam War, Bill and Jean served with the American Friends Service Committee in a small mountain village in central Mexico assisting with community development in the area of animal health and human nutrition. It was here that Bill and Jean first endeared themselves to friends around the world. From 1967-2005 Bill and Jean operated the Homer Animal Clinic, adding the Tully Animal Clinic in 1985. Bill was a skilled veterinarian, surgeon and diagnostician. He maintained high standards of service by his staff and for his patients and clients with special interest in the areas of ophthalmology, nutrition and orthopedics. He was a member of the New York State Veterinary Society and the American Animal Hospital Association. Bill belonged to Rotary International from 1968-2013 and lived out its Four-Way Test: 1. Is it the truth? 2. Is it fair to all concerned? 3. Will it build goodwill and better friendships? 4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned? He served as president of the Cortland Rotary Club in 1974 and went on to hold additional positions of Youth Exchange Chairman (1979-81), GSE Team Leader to India (1978), District Governor (1982-83), Rotary International Director (1990-92), and National Coordinator for PolioPlus for the Northeast (1988-2002) when Rotary raised $240 million to vaccinate the children of the world against polio. He also led a worldwide Task Force on Population and Development chairing conferences in Zurich, Switzerland with the UN, New Delhi, India with the Indian government and Brasilia, Brazil for all of Latin America. Using the ZAP tools developed in Cortland County, Bill worked tirelessly on a project to promote Zero Adolescent Pregnancy as well as HIV/AIDS testing and treatment in Central and South America. Bill expressed strongly the need for literacy and education among young people around the world as means to improve womens health and reduce infant mortality. Bills strong desire to improve the lives of the less fortunate took him around the world with visits to countries in 6 of the 7 continents. Closer to home, he was an active member of the Homer Congregational Church, served on the Board of Trustees of the Elizabeth Brewster House and was an advisor to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). Bill volunteered as part of a disaster relief team that went to DIberville, Mississippi in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina.Bill's pride and love of his family was evident, and his influence profound. The family gathered yearly for Thanksgiving. Bill aka Pappy developed strong bonds with his grandchildren in spite of geographical distance with yearly Grandparents Trips. The weeklong summer trips varied from hanging out in Homer, riding the train to Calgary, taking in a Broadway show in NYC to exploring Memphis and watching the Peabody Ducks march. It was during these trips that the value of travel, friendships and respect for individuals in all walks of life were instilled. Bill had an unwavering love and pride for his children and grandchildren.All are invited to attend a visitation on Friday, August 30 from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. at Wright-Beard Funeral Home, 9 Lincoln Ave., Cortland, NY 13047. A memorial service will be held on August 31 at 11:00 a.m. at The Homer Congregational Church. In lieu of flowers, the family wishes memorials to be directed to Homer Congregational Church Global Connectors Fund, PO Box 221, Homer, NY; Cortland Rotary Club (P.O. Box 5248, Cortland, NY 13045); Caring Community Hospice of Cortland (11 Kennedy Parkway, Cortland, NY 13045) or Cortland Repertory Theatre (PO Box 783, Cortland, NY 13045).To offer online condolences visit www.wright-beard.com You could not find a more caring animal doctor than Bill Cadwallader. He cared for all our pets through the years we lived in Cortland. I can visualize him now surrounded by those cats and dogs he treated. RIP good man. Jim Ochsner Dr. Cadwallader was the best vet we ever had. He was great with our Shane and Crystal. He was with us during the end of their lives. I am so sorry for his lost. He was a great man and person. May he rest in peace. Barbara Peck Leonard Jean and family, we are so sorry for your loss. Bill was a wonderful man, friend and Veterinary. He became our vet when Bill and I started farming in 1971 in Solon, N.Y. He was also my families vet (Clough's in E. Freetown)when I was still at home with my parents. We thought a lot of him and fell your loss. We sold our farm in 1989 and moved to Fl. in 1991. We did stop back into the clinic one year and visited with Dr. Cadwallader. It was good to see him again. Wish we had know about his illness and gotten back to see him again. With sympathy, Bill and Chris Weishaupt JEAN AND FAMILY, WE ARE SO SORRY FOR YOU LOSS. BILL WAS AN OUTSTANDING MAN AND VET. HE LOVED ALL OF YOU AND ESPECIALLY LOVED GOD. MAY YOUR HEARTS BE HEALED KNOWING THAT HE IS WITH OUR ONE TRUE FATHER. OUR PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY DURING THIS TIME. DAVID AND STACY POTTER Dear Jean and Family:May the river of tears flow gently, the light of Life shine through and the pain be slightly more and more bearable.Love Your friend Sigrid,Austin