PORT JERVIS- Heartfelt tributes, prayer, and military funeral honors were part of a Memorial Service held Saturday afternoon, February 28, for late Air Force veteran and founder of Rumshock Foundation William “Bill” Whetsel.
Whetsel, who died on February 21, was the driving force behind building tiny homes for unhoused veterans and connecting services to help them. Four of eight planned tiny homes and a community center are already on Rumshock’s Veterans Village site, and others are underway.
Whetsel noted in past interviews that the idea for such a village came from attending a leadership meeting in Orange County in which someone spoke of a veteran living in a wooded area of the county. Once aware of this, Whetsel said he could not stop thinking of ways to help this individual and other veterans in such a situation.
Whetsel soon envisioned a village of small-scale, fully furnished homes and outreach to bring services and connections to help veterans. Whetsel’s family – his parents William and Bertha (Rumshock) Whetsel, wife Dympna ‘Dee’ Whetsel, and sons Tyler (wife Savannah) and Liam, along with Rumshock Foundation and others pledge to support and continue this dream.
Whetsel, as a veteran himself, came from a proud line of family military service. He served as an Air Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician, described on an Air Force site as a highly skilled position in which members detect, disarm, and dispose of explosive threats while serving your country. In continuing to help others, upon completion of his military service Whetsel worked for Trans World Airlines and helped transition U.S. airports to federal security after 911. Upon his retirement, he went on to found Rumshock Veterans Foundation in 2019.
Even as he battled difficult health issues over the past year, Whetsel never wavered in his belief that such help for veterans was greatly needed – and could be achieved. He reassured others while pushing onward toward this goal, sharing the quote, “A dream is only a dream until you decide to make it real.”
A statement on Rumshock’s website notes Whetsel’s simple mission: “Make a difference in the lives of Veterans any way he could.” This is a mission Whetsel’s family, his foundation, and others involved in his plan have pledged to continue as stated in a message on the foundation’s website.
“Bill was truly an inspiration to everyone in his life and proof of what is possible if you put your mind to something, you can achieve anything. He had an infectious love for life and a passion to make a difference in his community. Bill made an impact on everyone that met him and will be forever remembered by the change that he has inspired. Bill has lit a fire that cannot be extinguished, and Rumshock Veterans Foundation will continue to feed each and every day. He will be greatly missed.”
To contribute to the goals of Rumshock Foundation, donations in honor of William Whetsel may be made .
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