Christina DeBlock in honor of William J. DeBlock
Established by Christina DeBlock in honor of her husband, William J. DeBlock (1952-2020).
William John DeBlock, of Castleton, NY, passed away on October 20, 2020, after a brave battle with cancer. He and his wife, Christina, recently celebrated 48 years of marriage. He was a proud father, devoted grandfather, respected brother and uncle to many nieces and nephews.
Bill was born on April 28, 1952 to to the late John and Suzanne Lutjens DeBlock of New Hampton, NY. After graduating from Minisink Valley High School in 1970, he went on to graduate from Orange County Community College with an Associates Degree in Political Science. From there, he attended Michigan State University where he got his Bachelor of Science in Law Enforcement Administration. He also received his Masters Degree in Criminal Justice from the State University of New York in Albany, as well as from the FBI Academy in Quantico, VA.
After graduation from Michigan State, Bill became a NJ State Trooper from 1974-1977. While starting his career in NJ, his aspirations were always to be a NY State Trooper. In 1977 he was hired by the NY State Police where he served for 31 years. His roles in the NY State Police included Troop F BCI Investigator, Troop F Commander, Troop NYC Commander, Staff Inspector/Internal Affairs Bureau, and final assignment prior to retirement of Deputy Superintendent – Colonel, Field Command.
Bill was a member of the Greenbush Reformed Church for 20 years. A loyal Michigan State fan, Bill was fortunate to share many memories with his family at MSU events over the years, including Football Fantasy Camp and Grandparents University. One of his best memories was the trip on a Tiger Cruise aboard the USS Enterprise with one of his sons, who is currently serving in the US Navy.
Impact
This scholarship was created in 2020.
“The impact of this award has helped me and my family in tremendous ways in trying to figure out things with college financially. Growing up and being in high school was one of the hardest experiences for me. It felt like such a burden for me and it made it harder for me to concentrate, stay on top of things, and get the grades I knew I was capable of. Being given this award made me feel more capable and made me feel as though how I felt in high school isn’t really the case and I do have a chance at being awarded for my hard work and achievements. I would again like to thank you, not only for this award but also for giving me this opportunity to really put my all into something I truly enjoy and something much more than high school me could ever imagine. Not only will I take this award to go to college, but I will use this award to work my hardest and make the most of it. No matter how hard it gets for me or how difficult college ends up being, I want to commit to my education and commit to future success. I look forward to keeping in touch as I follow through on this journey, thank you.” – Gabriella Suriel