Mr. William “Uncle Bill” Gottshall, an Abington Township native, U.S. Navy Veteran, and former Chief of the Enterprise Fire Company of Hatboro, passed away on the morning of Thursday, June 26. He was 79.
Mr. Gottshall served aboard the USS Wasp as part of the Vietnam War, during which he served in the Gemini recovery mission, his obituary said. He joined the Enterprise Fire Company in 1962 as a junior member at the age of sixteen and went on to serve as a lieutenant, captain, deputy chief and chief over a 63-year tenure with the department.
“He also served on the board of directors and was instrumental in organizing the fire company’s 100th anniversary parade—an accomplishment he held dear,” his obituary said.
Mr. Gottshall also spent six years with the Horsham Fire Department, where he served as Lieutenant for two years.
“Chief Gottshall was a pillar of dedication and service—not only to our company, but to the entire Borough of Hatboro,” the Enterprise Fire Company said in a post. “Throughout his many years of commitment, he held numerous leadership roles, including his service on the Board of Directors, always exemplifying integrity, loyalty, and compassion.”
The post continues: “‘Uncle Bill’ leaves behind a legacy of courage, mentorship, and unwavering support for the firefighting community. His presence will be deeply missed, but his impact will be forever remembered. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and all who had the honor of knowing him. Rest easy, Chief. We’ll take it from here.”
Chief Gottshall is listed as a Life Member on the company’s website.
Relatives and friends will be received by his family on Wednesday, July 2 after 10:00am in Schneider Funeral Home (431 N. York Road in Hatboro) and are invited to attend his Funeral Service at 11:00am. His interment will follow in Whitemarsh Memorial Park Cemetery (Ambler). In lieu of flowers, donations in his name may be made to the Enterprise Fire Company (36 Byberry Road, Hatboro, PA 19040) or the Montgomery County SPCA here.
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Photo: EFC