William J Umphred Sr.

William J.. Umphred Sr. loving father and grandfather passed away peacefully on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020, at the age of 91.

Bill was born in Wilkes-Barre, PA on December 8, 1928, he was the son of the late Francis Umphred and Marie Austin Umphred. A graduate of Coughlin High School and Wilkes College, Bill was a proud veteran of the United States Navy where he served as a naval officer during the Korean War. Following his return to Wilkes-Barre, he joined Commonwealth Telephone Company as a management trainee in 1955 and was elected president of the company in 1974. He retired in 1989.

Bill was active in various facets of the telephone industry including serving as a director of the Pennsylvania Independent Telephone Association and the United States Independent Telephone Association. He also served as chairman of several national committees of that association.

His business associations included service as chairman of the board of Wilkes Barre’s Franklin First Financial Corporation and the Citizens Voice newspaper and as a member of the board of Pennsylvania Millers Insurance Company and OnBanc Corporation (now M&T Bank).

Bill was an active member of the Wilkes-Barre community, having served as a trustee of Wilkes College, president of the board of the Salvation Army, and as a member of the President’s Advisory Board of College Misericordia. He was a board member of the United Way of Wyoming Valley and chaired that organization’s 1978 fundraising campaign. He also chaired fundraising campaigns for the Osterhout Library and the Back Mountain Memorial Library.

Most of all, Bill loved and was proud of his family. He is survived by sons Charles (Marybeth), William Jr. (Katie), brothers Edward and Mark as well as his grandchildren Chad (Brittany), Paige, Tyler, Kelly, and Lindsay to whom he was affectionately known as Bop-Bop. He was preceded in death by his first wife Elizabeth, and son Francis, his second wife Constance, and his brothers Francis and Leo.

A memorial service will be held at a later date. Private interment will be at the convenience of the family in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Carverton, PA.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Francis Austin Umphred Memorial scholarship at Wilkes University 84 West South Street, Wilkes Barre PA 18766, or the Elizabeth Richards Umphred Memorial scholarship at Misericordia University 301 Lake Street, Dallas PA 18612-1090.