Obituary of William Blain

William A. Blain of Wanaque, N.J., a loving father and devoted husband, who enjoyed  sailing, the Mets, and, above all else, spending time with his family, died Sunday, July 14, 2024, after a brief illness. He was 88.

Born on July 24, 1935, in Brooklyn to Alex and Jean Fraser Blain, William – or Bill as has commonly called - was a self-made man whose work ethic and determination moved him beyond the struggles of being born during the Great Depression to have a successful career and prosperous life.

Whether it was diving for coins from the piers of Sheepshead Bay or working as a mate on fishing boats in his youth, William provided for his family from his earliest days in Brooklyn, and he never stopped. The memories and lessons of family, friendship and hard work that he learned while growing up would stay with him for his entire life and would be passed down to his children and grandchildren.

Educated at Brooklyn College, William learned the skills of mechanical design and drafting. He would go on to become a sought-after mechanical engineer and earn several patents for his innovative work. For many years, William worked as the chief engineer at Nabisco where he designed many of the machines used in the production of their world famous cookies and crackers. He could design or build anything, once he set his mind to it, and he continued to work on his projects throughout his life.

In 1959, William married the love of his life, Caryl Cooley, and they went on to raise three children together over the course of a marriage that lasted nearly 65 years.

Along with his wife and children, William’s other great love was sailing and he did it in his own special way. Working in his garage over countless nights and weekends, he constructed his own sail boat, an 18-foot craft aptly named the “Major Effort.” Years later, when it was time for an upgrade, he decided to forgo the do-it-yourself construction and purchased a larger sail boat he dubbed “Effortless.” Few things gave him greater pleasure than spending the day on the water with his children and, later, his grandchildren, especially if there was a stiff breeze blowing and fair seas.

William is survived by his wife, Caryl Cooley Blain of Wanaque; a daughter, Lynda Blain Panza and her husband Anthony Panza, of Glen Ridge, NJ; a son, Jeffrey William Blain and his wife Elizabeth Bernabe of Stockholm, NJ; a son, Glenn Blain and his wife, Kristin Legere Blain of Glenmont, NY; five grandsons, Scott, Darryl and his fiance Nicole, John, Robert and his wife Laura and Eric; and one great granddaughter, Carmela.

A wake will be held from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 17, at the Oakland Memorial Home at 330 Ramapo Valley Road, Oakland, NJ 07436