William "Bill" Augustus Gast

William “Bill” Augustus Gast, aged 77, of Mechanicsburg, departed from this world on Friday, July 25, 2025. Born on October 30, 1947, in Mifflinburg, he was the beloved son of the late Augustus Beaver Gast and Ellen Thelma (Schoen) Gast.

Bill's legacy lives on through his cherished family, including his wife of 34 years, Donna Thrush Gast; his two children, Lee Gast and his wife Leanne of Nottingham, NH, and Kurt Gast and his wife Suzanne of Harrisburg. He is also survived by his three stepchildren: Amy Thrush-Dreves and her husband Andrew of Gettysburg, John Thrush of Raleigh, NC, and Michael Thrush and his wife Sashy of Decatur, GA. His grandchildren—Marissa Gast, Sydney Guyer and her husband Ethan, and Eliza Dreves—along with his great-grandchildren, Ariel Guyer and Julian “JuJu” Guyer, will fondly remember him. He was also the loving brother to Linda Rhett and her husband Louis, of Clermont, FL, and Judith “Judy” Gast of Aiken, SC.

Bill was proud to be a graduate of both Mifflinburg High School’s class of 1965 and Lehigh University’s class of 1969, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. He devoted over 35 years of service to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, culminating in his role as Chief of Water Use Planning, where he was honored with the Maurice K Goddard Award for Excellence in Water Management Planning before his retirement in 2007.

Bill was a man of diverse interests and remarkable talents. He delighted in traveling and antiquing with Donna, enjoyed the melodies of the Harrisburg Symphony Pops Concerts, and demonstrated a profound passion for genealogy, diligently serving as the historian for his own family while assisting others in tracing their roots. Growing up on a farm instilled in him a great appreciation for agricultural machinery, particularly John Deere tractors, which was reflected in his toy replica collection. It also gave him a great love for animals, especially dogs. From his first dog, Lassie, to his current dog, Muffin, Bill formed a strong reciprocal bond with his animals.

Bill was an enthusiast of all things trains and held memberships in the Train Collectors Association and the Friends of the East Broad Top. An avid outdoorsman, he took great pleasure in spending time in the woods, whether camping, hiking, or hunting. Known as a problem-solver, he thrived on puzzles of all kinds and approached home repairs with meticulous attention to detail, ensuring he had the right tools for every task. Bill was always willing to lend his knowledge, skills, and time to those in need and was currently serving as President of his Home Owner’s Association.

Creativity flourished in Bill’s hands as he enjoyed woodworking, photography, and the unique art of bookbinding, which he taught himself. He recently created and bound a book dedicated to preserving the story of a family ancestor from the Civil War era as well as compiling a comprehensive printed history of his Mifflinburg High classmates from their early years until the present. At the time of his passing, he was passionately working on a project to photograph a family member's watercolors, aiming to create a beautiful compilation of her artistic talent in bound book form.

Devoted to his faith, Bill found comfort in studying scripture and attending Foursquare Church in Gettysburg. He formed many deep and lasting friendships with his family, classmates, colleagues and community. Bill is already and will continue to be profoundly missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.

A memorial service to celebrate Bill’s life will be held in Mifflinburg at a later date.

Rather than flowers, contributions may be made to Foursquare Church Gettysburg and/or to Friends of the East Broad Top (FEBT) in honor of Bill's memory.

Foursquare Church Gettysburg - www.gbfoursquare.com/give

Friends of the East Broad Top (FEBT) - febt.org/campaign/

Please include “In memory of William Gast” in the special instructions online or on the memo of your check.