William Conrad Pinschmidt Jr.

Born in Richmond, Virginia on October 30, 1926, Bill spent most of his childhood years in the Cleveland, Ohio area and graduated from Lakewood High School. He served in the Navy during WWII, and subsequently attended Mount Union College on the GI Bill. He received his master’s degree from Ohio State and his PHD from Duke University. He taught in the biology department at Mary Washington College and retired after 33 years in 1987.

Bill was pre-deceased by first wife, Mary, in 1998. She also taught in the biology department at Mary Washington College and the two were widely known throughout the academic community and well respected by students, staff and faculty. Bill spent many of his summers teaching marine biology in Deltaville on the Chesapeake Bay.

Bill loved to travel and visited every state and all continents with the exception of Africa. Among his most memorable travel adventures included several cross-country trips in the family motor home and six months in Australia exploring the Outback and the Great Barrier Reef. Other trips included the Soviet Union, several countries in Europe, Antarctica, New Zealand, Siberia, the Galapagos Islands, and Argentina including Ushuaia, “the southernmost city in the world.”

As one of the founders of Fredericksburg's Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in the 1950's, Bill served in many capacities through the years including that of Commonwealth Trustee. He had a great love of humor, music and the performing arts. Gifted mimic and born "sound effects man," in post-war student days, Bill appeared on national radio with the then popular Ted Mack Amateur Hour, and later on Richmond Radio, becoming a familiar voice reporting the news as Bill Conrad on WTVR. Bill was a co-founder of Fredericksburg's Historyland Chorus, and sang in several barbershop quartets, the Daylighters barbershop chorus, Chamber Chorale, and Fredericksburg Singers. He also performed in numerous plays at the local dinner theatre including Fiddler on the Roof, Guys and Dolls, Bus Stop and The Music Man. In addition, Bill pursued his passion for model trains during his early retirement years through the design and construction of an elaborate model railroad in his basement and back yard.

Bill is survived by his wife, Ogaenia DelCampo-Pinschmidt; his two daughters, Mary Lynn Graham (husband, James) and Carol Ann Hagen (husband, Clifford); four grandchildren, David Marquette (fiancé, Tina Lazakis), Paul Marquette (wife, Shannon), Mason Hagen and Sydney Hagen; and one great grand-daughter, Genevieve Marquette.

A memorial celebration of life will take place on Saturday, October 13th at 3:00 pm at The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Fredericksburg. All are welcome to attend. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the William C. Pinschmidt, Jr. Scholarship Fund, c/o University of Mary Washington, Office of University Advancement, 1119 Hanover Street, Fredericksburg, VA 22401.