William Edgar Kwaak

Artist, craftsman, carpenter, builder, pilot, comedian, entrepreneur, veteran, shipwright, sailor, mechanic, captain, veterinarian, friend, brother, uncle, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, dad. Love you, Pop--Billy Kwaak

William (“Bill” or “Jack”) Kwaak, passed away peacefully on June 16, 2021. His daughter, Cathy, and son, Billy, were holding his hands as he quietly slipped away at ninety years old after a full and happy life.

Jack was born of Dutch and Swedish stock to William and Alma (née Johnson) Kwaak in Passaic, New Jersey. He grew up there with his parents, sister (Nita), and grandmother (Nettie, with whom he was especially close). Jack served in the United States Marine Corps for six years, after which he became a student at Uppsala College where he met the love of his life, Patsy Oakley.

They married in September 1955 and had twin girls (Krissy and Patty) nine months later. Three more came along within seven years: Cathy, Jackie, and Billy. Jack graduated from The University of Pennsylvania with a doctorate in veterinary medicine in 1960 and practiced as a vet in a number of locations in New Jersey: Summit, Chatham, Warren, Bound Brook, and Plainfield.

Jack and Pat raised their children in Warren where both Jack’s and Patsy’s parents lived close by. They made many dear friends there and often entertained at their home furnished with Williamsburg style furniture that Jack made himself. Jack was multi-talented, building a Model-T Ford car from scratch and learning how to fly. He loved ferrying family and friends around in his Beechcraft Bonanza airplane.

Having a passion for boats and the ocean, Jack and Pat moved to Mantoloking, New Jersey, where Jack raced E-scows and restored a 1934 racing sloop, Magic, with which he went on to win many races against newer and more modern sailboats. With his dear friend Bob Shaw, he bought and refurbished a beautiful fifty-eight foot classic Vineyard yacht, The Enterprise. This vessel was the staging place for many memorable occasions, including a voyage to the spectacular 1986 Fourth of July celebrations in Manhattan Harbor.

Jack loved change and challenges, so after “retirement,” he and Patsy moved to Beaufort, North Carolina (right on the inlet) where they ran several businesses, most notably, a quaint bed-and-breakfast called The Cedars. As well as boats, cars, and airplanes, Jack loved refurbishing buildings. He and Patsy beautifully restored The Cedars, an historic antebellum building. Jack and Pat enjoyed life in Beaufort and Morehead City where they made good friends and appreciated living in lovely coastal North Carolina for many years. Always liking to stay busy and meet new people, Jack joined the volunteer firefighters in Beaufort.

Jack and Patsy eventually relocated north to Virginia to be nearer family. Cathy and her husband, Steve, took great care of them in their later years in New Kent and Mechanicsville. Sadly, Jack lost his dear Patsy when she passed away on January 24, 2021.

Jack had a talent for friendship and happiness. He always enjoyed a good story--his and others’--and was quick to laugh. His children recall him hilariously joining in their fun: sack-races, water fights, playing (i.e. cheating at!) Monopoly, or gliding down the zip line he hung up from the house chimney (the latter stunt resulted in the chimney falling down on his head!). Jack was often heard whistling his favorite tunes. He was at the center of every gathering and a huge presence in all our lives. He will be deeply missed.

Jack is preceded in death by his wife, Patricia and sister, Nita van Lenten. He is survived by his children, Kristine (Dale) Wolberg, Patricia (Bernhard) Schraut, Catherine (Steven) Setteducato, Jacqueline Kwaak, William (Kathleen) Kwaak, twelve grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

In his final months, Jack was comforted by recalling Psalm 23, which he apparently learned as a boy. May all who loved him be blessed as he was by these hopeful words:

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me.

Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me;

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

Thou anointest my head with oil,

My cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life,

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

A joint memorial service for Jack and Patsy will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 4, 2022 at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery in East Hanover, New Jersey. Please R.S.V.P. to Cathy Setteducato at [email protected].

Memorial contributions may be made to Jack’s favorite charity, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital: https://www.stjude.org/donate/donate-to-st-jude.html.