William Richard (Bates) Jairett was born on February 20, 1936 in Rushville, Indiana, to Thelma and Edgar Bates. At a young age when Bill’s mother remarried, he was adopted by his stepfather, Arthur D. Jairett. Bill passed into eternal life on March 23, 2026.
Bill graduated from Waynesboro High School with the class of 1954. After graduation, he attended Penn State University for two years and graduated from John Hopkins University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering with the class of 1964. Bill served with the United States Air Force in the Air National Guard.
After a long courtship through high school and college days, Bill married his high school sweetheart, Cecelia Alice Hill, on August 9, 1958. Cecelia and Bill enjoyed 44 years of marriage and raised two children, Timothy and Tamara, who were their shining lights! Then Ryan, their grandson, came along and captured their hearts! Bill and Cecelia had a close-knit family relationship with their children and grandson and enjoyed numerous family gatherings before Cecelia passed away on September 2, 2002.
Bill had a full and exciting career starting as a draftsman at Fairchild Aircraft in Hagerstown, MD, and later as an engineer working for AAI in Cockeysville, MD; Bendix Aviation Corp. in Towson, MD; AMF Defense Systems in York, PA; BMY (United Defense) in York, PA. Prior to his retirement in 1999, Bill was Vice President of Engineering for BMY. He retired after 29 years of service which he always looked back on with happy and proud memories.
Being the never tiring sportsman he was, Bill served as General Manager for the Northeastern Midget Athletics in York, PA for many years and was an Honorary Life Member of the Northeastern Jaycees in York, PA. He also served as President on the Borough Council in Mt. Wolf, PA from 1969 through 1981.
After a long-distance courtship with Bill living in PA and Georgia living in FL, the couple married in Orlando, FL on March 19, 2004, and started a new life as snowbirds. They lived a happy and full life traveling between Mt. Dora, Florida and York, Pennsylvania plus all their other travels. Georgia passed away on October 20, 2024.
William R. Jairett is survived by his daughter, Tamara Jairett; son, Timothy Jairett; grandson, Ryan Strickler; and his brother; Don Jairett, as well as many nieces and nephews.
Services will be held at 2:00 P.M., Wednesday, April 8, 2026 in Grove-Bowersox Funeral Home, 50 S. Broad St., Waynesboro, PA. Burial will follow in Green Hill Cemetery, Waynesboro, PA.
The family will receive friends one hour prior to the services, Wednesday afternoon, in the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation at www.parkinson.org
