William F. Goepfrich Sr., 86, longtime accountant

William F. Goepfrich Sr., 86, of Somerton, a retired accountant who played college football and took part in the 1946 Orange Bowl in Miami, died Sunday, March 24, at home. The cause of death had not been determined.

Mr. Goepfrich was a guard on the College of the Holy Cross football team. He played with the Crusaders in the 1946 bowl game against the University of Miami. His team lost to the Hurricanes, 13-6.

Mr. Goepfrich later coached youth teams in Northeast Philadelphia.

"He loved football," said his son, William F. Goepfrich Jr. "And he loved coaching it. . . . That was his passion."

In 1996, Mr. Goepfrich and other members of the 1946 Holy Cross team were invited to the Orange Bowl to mark the 50th anniversary of that game. He and his teammates were honored on the field.

William Francis Goepfrich was born Jan. 29, 1927, in Philadelphia, the son of Emma and Joseph Goepfrich. He was raised in the Brewerytown section.

He attended St. Joseph's Preparatory School, where he played football for four years, graduating in the 1940s. In 1942, he was on the Hawks team that won the Catholic League championship.

"He was a small guard, but he was fast and tenacious," his son said.

At Holy Cross, in Worcester, Mass., he played four years with the Crusaders before graduating in 1949 with a bachelor's degree in accounting.

In the 1950s, Mr. Goepfrich married Joan Donahue, whom he had met at a neighborhood picnic in Brewerytown. They had five children. She died in 1986.

After college, Mr. Goepfrich was an accountant for Philco-Ford in Philadelphia and later joined the RCA Service Co. in Cherry Hill, where he worked as an accountant for more than 30 years. He retired in the 1980s.

In the 1960s and 1970s, he coached youth football teams for the Somerton Youth Organization in the Northeast for about 10 years.

In retirement, Mr. Goepfrich enjoyed surf fishing. He joined the Long Beach Island Fishing Club in New Jersey and served as the group's treasurer.

A devout Catholic, Mr. Goepfrich was a member of St. Christopher Parish in Northeast Philadelphia and the St. Katherine Drexel Council of the Knights of Columbus.

In addition to his son, Mr. Goepfrich is survived by daughters Eileen Fagan, Mary Nelms, Joan Jennings, and Karen Ries-Rather; 12 grandchildren; and a sister.

Viewings will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, April 1, at Malloy Funeral Home Inc., 625 Byberry Rd., Philadelphia, and at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 2, at St. Christopher Roman Catholic Church, 13301 Proctor Rd., Philadelphia. A Memorial Mass will follow at 10:30 a.m. at the church. Interment will be in Our Lady of Grace Cemetery, Langhorne.