William Samuel Stockman

William Samuel Stockman, devoted husband, father of three, grandfather of six, great-grandfather of one, passed away peacefully and surrounded with love on October 27, 2022, at the age of 82. Bill was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA to Samuel and Mary. Loving brother to Joan Wagner, he attended Hamilton Disston Elementary School and graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School, Class of 1957, where he actively participated on the Track & Field and Basketball teams. He went on to Drexel University for his undergraduate studies and then University of Pennsylvania, Class of 1966, earning his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. He completed an internship followed by a surgical residency at the ASPCA hospital in New York City before joining Oradell Animal Hospital in New Jersey as partner, co-owner, and small-animal surgeon. Over the course of his 54-year career at OAH, he and his partners dedicated their skill, energy, and care to growing their practice into one of the largest private animal clinics in the country.

Along the way, he married his high school sweetheart, Mary Ann (née Zorr, also of Philadelphia) in 1962. They raised two sons, Kenneth and Gary, and one daughter, Debra. Bill exemplified kindness, love of and loyalty to family and friends, the importance of good work ethics, a sense of adventure, and the power of a well-timed joke.

Bill developed many passions throughout his life, including scuba diving and underwater photography, gardening, and Civil War history. Vacationing with his family in Ocean City, NJ was always one of his greatest annual pleasures, and he loved falling asleep on the beach on a cloudy, breezy day. He shared his love of surf and deep-sea fishing along the New Jersey coast with his father and children. He adored his grandchildren, making each one feel special and loved, and he could always be found cheering them on at their various sporting events or dance and music recitals. After traveling around the world for his scuba adventures from the Sea of Cortez to Fiji, he found his paradise in 1990 on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, where he enjoyed boating on the Choptank River and took great pride in landscaping his little slice of heaven overlooking Broad Creek in Bozman, MD.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Samuel and Mary, and is survived by his wife of 60 years, Mary Ann, his children - Kenneth and wife Maria, Debra, Gary and wife Victoria, his grandchildren – Justin, Leland, Cassandre, Grégoire, Samuel, and Benjamin, great-grandson Elliot, sister Joan, and several cousins, nieces and nephews. He will be greatly missed and forever loved.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: https://www.parkinson.org  OR https://www.talbothumane.org

A private service will be held by the family at this time.

A future public memorial service will be announced on this website once confirmed.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of William Samuel Stockman, please visit our floral store.