William H. Orth

It is with great sadness that the family of William “Bill” Orth announces his passing on August 20, 2022 at his home in Eaton, New York. Bill was born on October 1, 1931 in Passaic, New Jersey to Frederick and Anna Nelson Orth and attended Passaic public schools. While working for the Noll family farm in New Jersey, he met the love of his life, Marilyn Noll and they married on January 14, 1957 in Upper Montclair, NJ. After working in the dairy industry for a few years, Bill became a long-distance driver for several trucking companies. He started his own company, B-Line Trucking, which he ran until he retired in 1985. Bill and Marilyn lived in many beautiful homes and horse farms in New Jersey and Southern Pines, North Carolina.

Upon retirement, he took up Marilyn’s passion for horses and became a world-renowned carriage driver. He and his beloved Morgan horse, Bentley, twice represented the United States at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in England. In 1992, he beat out all of the competition to become the World Champion Singles Driver and was awarded his trophies and ribbons by Queen Elizabeth.  He then went on to Scotland to continue his winning streak. He will forever be remembered in the horse world for his legendary victories and expert horsemanship. To this day, no other American has achieved this level of honor in Singles Carriage Driving.

Following the passing of his beloved Marilyn in 2006, Bill moved north to Eaton, NY to be closer to family. He built a log cabin on the Orth family dairy farm and became somewhat of a local celebrity. His door was open to all and his home was rarely empty of visitors. To escape the winters, he bought a home in Florida where he spent the last few years basking in the sun, smoking his cigar and greeting the neighbors and their dogs as they passed by on their daily walks.

Bill was a true renaissance man: self-taught musician who played harmonica, banjo, piano and guitar; watcher and lover of birds; knowledgeable historian; voracious reader; storyteller extraordinaire; competitive card player; torturous teaser and extremely generous. His legend will live forever.

In addition to his wife, Marilyn, Bill was pre-deceased by his brothers and their wives: Frederick and Patricia and John and Shirley; also, his sister and her husband, Virginia and Michael Ligus.

Surviving are his sister-in-law and her husband, Dorothy and Michael Hostage and their extended family as well as an abundance of nieces and nephews and their families on the Orth side. He is also survived by two cousins, John and Carl Nordstedt.

Bill’s family has requested no flowers. Instead, please consider making a donation in Bill’s memory to a charity of your choice.

A Celebration of Life will be held on October 15, 2022 at the Orth Family Farm, from 2pm until ?, 2861 Evans Road, Eaton, NY, 13334. All are welcome. Arrangements have been entrusted to Burgess & Tedesco Funeral Home, 31 Cedar St. Morrisville, NY