Obituary of William H. Rampe Jr.

William (Bill) Henry Rampe Jr., 74, of Webster passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loved ones, on February 13, 2024.
He was predeceased by his parents, William and Lois Rampe, and in-laws, Albert and Yolanda Ribis.

Bill was a lifelong resident of Webster, where he raised a family and started a successful business, Rampe Construction Company, with his wife, Kathy. Bill loved the Town of Webster and was very active in the community for decades. His legacy of public service was nothing short of remarkable. Bill was a long-time member of the Zoning and then the Planning Boards, chairing each of them for many years. Later, he was elected to the Webster Town Board where he served as Town Board liaison to the Code Revision Committee for over four years. He was also an active member of the Open Space Committee which focused on, and was successful in, preserving much of Webster’s beautiful green spaces. He further served the community as an active member of the Webster Lions Club.

Bill loved making his clients happy, and that love showed through in the success of the business. He had a talent for so many things in life and lived to the fullest. Bill grew up with horses and for many of his younger years, he showed his paint horse, Buckeye Bandit, who won many awards and became a National Champion. After he and Kathy married, they discovered a love of Lake Ontario and the Thousand Islands, and they enjoyed spending quiet time at their cottage in Cape Vincent. Bill captained many restored boats and named them all “The Kathleen.” He took great pride in earning his captain’s license. A true lover of the outdoors and conservation, Bill was an avid fisherman and hunter. Later in life, he enjoyed restoring British sports cars to their original form, notably a 1960 Triumph TR3, which he restored with care and which won many awards. He loved being in his garage restoring each and every one he brought home, there were many days when he and his friend, George Haynes, would spend hours working on them. After attending a Watkins Glen British car racing event, Bill’s love for his British cars evolved into a love of racing them. He bought and restored a 1972 Triumph Spitfire which he raced throughout Canada and the Northeast.

Despite a demanding work schedule, Bill loved to travel with his family. He was always up for a new adventure -- trips to Mexico, parasailing in Hawaii, and most importantly, vacationing in the Florida Keys where he and his family spent much cherished time together. Bill was an incredible man with a never-ending amount of energy and interests, but with a quiet ability to put everyone around him at ease.
Bill is survived by his loving wife and best friend of 49 years, Kathleen Rampe; his beloved children, Denise Jones, William Rampe III, and Jennifer Rampe; and his granddaughter, Dr. Lauren Jones. Bill was extraordinarily proud of Lauren and loved being her grandpa. He is also survived by his brothers, Jerry Rampe (Cheryl), Ron Rampe, and Kurt Rampe (Michelle); his son-in-law, Max Brown; his daughter-in-law, Karie Rampe; his grandson-in-law, Lyle Plucknette; and countless more friends and family, including Dave Kalin, Casey Rampe, Amanda Rampe-Eggleston, Krista Rampe, and Shra Randolph.

The family would like to thank the Hospice staff of Highland Hospital who made sure that Bill was comfortable, eased his pain, and offered his family their kindness and support.

A Celebration of Bill’s life will be held Monday, February 26, 2024, from 4-7 pm at Harris Funeral Home with a private burial Tuesday, February 27, 2024. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Bill’s memory may be made to Friends of Webster Trails (https://webstertrails.org/). Arrangements have been entrusted to Philip Profetta.