William Andrew Murgatroy, Jr.

William Andrew Murgatroy Jr.

Lempster, NH: We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of William (Bill) Andrew Murgatroy Jr. 75, on September 26, 2022 after a long battle with cancer.  Bill was born on May 4, 1947 at the Carrie F. Wright Hospital in Newport, NH. He was the oldest of four children born to William A. Murgatroy Sr. and Ida May (Holmes) Murgatroy. He attended schools in Newport, graduating from Towle High School in 1965. Bill attended machinist school after graduation and worked for Micro Precision Machine Co. in Sunapee before joining the U.S. Army. He served in the 9th Infantry Division in South Vietnam as a sniper and decorated squad leader, receiving a battlefield promotion to sergeant. He was hired by New England Telephone Company shortly after his time in the service to work as a communications technician. Following the breakup of the Bell System, he received an early retirement offer from Bell Atlantic Telephone in 1998 after 30 years of service. During the next ten years, he worked part time as an electrician at GO Electric of Cornish, NH and at his own business, The Phone Pro. He was a handyman, woodworker, and in later years a Bob Ross landscape painter. Bill also operated a gunsmithing business customizing and fitting gunstocks for the trap shooting community. He was a lifelong competitive shooter in many disciplines and enjoyed target shooting, archery and muzzle loader hunting. In 1999 he and his brother competed in the Grand American World Trapshooting contest held in Vandalia, OH. He was an outdoorsman enjoying turkey hunting every spring and could often be seen fishing along the banks of the Cold River in Acworth. He loved visiting the Minot Farm in West Bath, N.H for over forty years. It was his home away from home. He was a life member of the Amateur Trapshooting Association and a life member of V.F.W Post 771 of Springfield, VT. In addition to being a Deacon and Sunday School teacher at the New Apostolic Church of Claremont, he was a former Lempster Selectman and a member of the Lempster Historical Society. Bill was an avid New England Patriots fan.  He wrote numerous articles in local publications and authored several historical novels including a memoir of his time in the Vietnam War.  He loved his German Short-Haired Pointers, Misty and Amy, and they were his constant companions.

Bill is survived by his wife, Linda Young Murgatroy, siblings David Murgatroy (Pamela) of Sunapee, Brenda Minot (William)  of Bath, NH and Bonnie Murgatroy of Sunapee, stepsons Paul Buskey of Springfield, VT, and Ryan Buskey of Charlotte, NC. and grandchildren Reagan, Parker, Anna and Alexa Buskey, and Aunt Selfried ‘Tunie’ McClelland and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

A memorial service will be held at The First Baptist Church of New London, NH at 10:30 AM on Monday October 3, 2022 with a reception to follow in Cleveland Hall.  Interment will be in the East Lempster Cemetery at 2 PM.  Chadwick Funeral Service of New London is in charge of arrangements. 

The funeral may be viewed online by visiting the church's website at https://www.firstbaptistchurchnewlondon.org/

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Samaritans Purse.Org c/o Operation Heal our Patriots, or the Wounded Warriors Project. 

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