William J. Zellerbach, W’42, a former University of Pennsylvania Trustee, died on February 5 at age 96.

Mr. Zellerbach was born and raised in San Francisco. After graduating from the Wharton School in 1942, he joined the US Navy and served as a lieutenant during World War II. He was in a Navy beach battalion and saw combat action in North Africa, Italy and the South Pacific.

After returning home, Mr. Zellerbach worked for Crown Zellerbach Corporation, founded by his great-grandfather. It was then one of the largest paper manufacturers in North America. He also was president of the Zellerbach Paper Company for many years. In addition, he was chairman of the Zellerbach Family Foundation and led the foundation’s change in focus to service for the disadvantaged—particularly immigrants, refugees and youth and community arts.

Mr. Zellerbach joined the Board of Overseers of the Wharton School in 1973 (Almanac December 18, 1973). The Zellerbach name was already well known at Penn due to Mr. Zellerbach’s father, Harold Zellerbach, the emeritus life trustee for whom the Zellerbach Theatre at Annenberg Center was named (Almanac October 1968). He joined his father in becoming a Penn Trustee in 1976 (Almanac November 9, 1976). That same year, the Zellerbach Family Professorship in the Performing and Dramatic Arts was established by the family. In 1990, the Zellerbach Family Professorship of Sociology was established with gifts from the Harold and Doris Zellerbach Fund as well as from Mr. Zellerbach (Almanac November 27, 1990).

Mr. Zellerbach was appointed by President Lyndon Johnson to serve on his advisory committee for the Agency for International Development. He also helped establish a Boys Club in Hunters Point, San Francisco, in 1959.

Mr. Zellerbach was married to his wife, Margery, for more than 70 years; she predeceased him in September 2016.

He is survived by his children, John (Mary Ellen), Thomas (Amy), Charles (Patricia) and Nancy Boschwitz (David); his grandchildren, Joseph, Elizabeth Ruffer (Todd), Jennifer O’Connor, Will, Hilary Reek (Terry), Emily Boschwitz and Elliot Boschwitz; and great-grandchildren, Amaya and Tyler.

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