Retiree William Prescott passed away on Sat, June 27, 2009.  Bill began employment with MHS on Aug 23, 1972 and retired Sept 1, 1990. Memorial Service: Thur, July 2 at 10:00 a.m. w/ service immediately following at All Saints Episcopal Church in Hershey.  He will be buried at the Hershey Cemetery.

 

Lieutenant Colonel William Roy Prescott Sr.,USA,(Ret) known to thousands of Milton Hershey alumni simply as "the COL", died peacefully at his home early Saturday morning.  Bill, started in the fledgling Air Force he then attended OCS and went, as he liked to say, "first class" as an US Army Airborne Ranger Infantry Officer.  He served around the world and on one of his first assignments, in AugsburgGermanyhe met and married his wife of 53 years, Elfriede (Susi) Schmid.  While a Professor of Military Science at the West Virginia State College,  he travelled to Ft. Indiantown Gap for cadet summer training, there he found another love of his life, Hershey PA.  Hershey offered the perfect compromise between the disparate beginnings of Susi from Bavariaand Bill from South Georgia.  The Milton Hershey School (MHS) valued not only the life experiences, the career of service including tours in Vietnamand Koreabut also Bill's teaching style and demeanor on the podium.  Whether in the social studies classroom, or as the Drill Team instructor, or as class advisor, Bill cherished the opportunities of shaping young minds and loved the opportunity to help young orphans become self sufficient, productive members of society.
Born in rural Brantley County in South Georgiain March of 1929 , perhaps it was his own situation of being an orphan at age 10 that caused the resonance he felt with the students of his beloved MHS.  He is survived by three sisters, Barbara Kennedy (AL), Jackie Holley (GA), Mae Chambers (GA), and two brothers Ben Prescott (TX) and Byron Prescott (GA).  Two brothers preceded him in death, the late Melvin Prescott and Lester Huey Prescott.  Beside his wife Elfriede, Bill has left a rich legacy of immediate family in the Hershey area including his daughter Tina Prescott Watts, her husband Jeffrey and their two sons Ryan (24) and Tyler (19).  His own son, W. Roy Jr., moved back to the family homestead after also retiring from an Army career with his wife, Georganna and Bill's other two grandchildren Michaela (13) and his namesake, William Roy III(a.k.a. "Liam," 7). 
A funeral service has been scheduled for 11:00 AM on Thursday, July 2nd  in All Saints Episcopal Church, 310 Elm Avenue, Hershey.  Viewing will be from 10:00AM until time of service.  Interment with honors will be in the HersheyCemetery.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to Hospice of Central PA, 1320 Linglestown Road, Harrisburg, PA 17110. Whether it was the can-do spirit that he exuded, his quick wit, or many talents both with his hands and as a natural born leader, Bill was the embodiment of the Infantry motto  . . . . . . . "Follow me. Share condolences with the family at hooverfuneralhome.com
www.pennlive.com/obits