Willard E Gares

Willard E. Gares of Burlington, NJ, died Sunday evening, October 18, 2020 at Virtua Hospital, Willingboro, NJ.  He was 83 years old.  Willard, the oldest son of Elmer S. and Dorothy P. Gares, graduated from Burlington High School in 1955 and went on to Pharmacy School at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA, graduating with a BS in Pharmacy in 1959.  Drafted into the Army in 1960, he served honorably and was discharged in 1962.  From 1962 until his retirement in 1993, he worked as a registered pharmacist in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and North Carolina.  Mr. Gares was a member of Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity, the American Legion and Burlington Lodge 32 F&AM for over 60 years.  An avid reader, he enjoyed both fiction and non-fiction but most of all, enjoyed being with family during the holidays and on Sundays for dinner.  Willard is survived by a son, Jason, and by his brother and sister-in-law Dr. Gerald M. and Irene Gares, nephew Gerald M. Gares, Jr. and his wife, Dina and his niece Christy Gares Haynes.  He will be missed by great nephews and nieces, Gerald M. Gares, III, Amanda Gares Orr (Tommy), Vincent Gares (Nicole), Nicholas Gares, Michael Ekelburg, III, Megan Ekelburg and Mark Ekelburg.  Special thank you to his care givers, Donna and John Wilkens and his good friend Fred Jackson, who always “kept an eye on him”.  Due to Covid 19, a private service for immediate family will be held at a later date.  If desired, a memorial contribution may be made to Broad St. United Methodist Church, 36 E. Broad St., Burlington, NJ 08016, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 145 W. Broad St., Burlington, NJ 08016 or to the Salvation Army online at www.salvationarmyusa.org.  Arrangements are under the direction of the Page Funeral Home, Burlington, where messages of sympathy may be sent to the family through www.pagefuneralhome.com. 

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