Bill Saunders


Shades Saunders, another classmate Bucky, and wives

Married Muriel Benhaim (MHS '56) in 1959. Graduated Trinity College in 1958, Muriel attended Conn. College in New London for 2 years and graduated Columbia School Of General Sudies. I was a "6 month patriotic draft dodger", Reserve Forces Act signed into law under Eisenhower. 6 months active duty and 5 1/2 years reserve duty. Was in the Medical Corps in Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas. Spent 15 years in the pharmaceutical industry, international advertising and product marketing, then 15 years at Avon Products, international sales promotion, then 5 years at medical advertising agencies. The past 3 years I have been a freelancer at various advertising agencies. Work about 6-8 months per year, so in a sense, I'm still working.

Daughter, Lorraine also attended Trinity and became the first woman and the youngest graduate to become President of the National Alumni Association. She is 40 and works at Oxford Health. Our son Bill graduated Conn. College where his Tennis Team was ranked in the Top Ten for Division III colleges. He was scheduled to begin a new job at Aon, Inc. on the 102nd floor of Tower 2, on October 1, 2001. He contacted his boss-to-be on the evening of 9/10 and she replied to him at 8:45 AM on 9/11. It was the last e-mail she sent.

We have 3 grandchildren ... Madeline White, 10 months old and the daughter of Lorraine and Hank White. Another grandaughter, Alison Saunders nearly 3 years old and a grandson, Brendan Saunders, 6 years old These are the children of Michele and our son Bill. Incidentally, Lorraine and Michele were roomates at Trinity.

I spent 4 elected terms as a member of the Tenafly Mayor and Council, 12 years, and also served on several state and Bergen County political organizations. Have been collecting coins since 1958 and am now going broke buying year sets for the grandchildren. Play tennis, squash and platform tennis and also sandwich in there some golf. I still keep up on Spanish, French and Italian and was fortunate to use all for the several years I spent in international business.