Obituary of William F. Hefner

William Francis Hefner, Jr., a resident of The Village at Duxbury, Duxbury, MA, and a long time resident of Scituate, passed away on January 21, 2011, at Jordan Hospital in Plymouth, following a brief illness. Born in Southbridge on January 16, 1924, the son of the late William F. and Marion Sullivan Hefner, he was the beloved husband of the late Joan Spillane Hefner. They led an active community life in Scituate. Bill Hefner attended Southbridge schools, graduated from Worcester Academy and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, class of January 1945. During the last months of WWII he served aboard oil tankers in the Atlantic and Mediterranean in the Maritime Service and as a US Navy Reserve Officer. After the war, he earned a BA degree from Mass Maritime, and pursued an engineering career with Socony Vacuum Oil Co., General Electric, and the Massachusetts DPW. In 1959, Bill’s engineering skills were personally and successfully tested by Hyman Rickover during the construction of the world’s first nuclear powered surface vessel at the Fore River Shipyard in Quincy. A lifelong sailing enthusiast, Bill was a member of the Scituate Harbor Yacht Club, and ably assisted by his wife Joan, was active in the Mass Maritime Alumni Association. He is survived by his sister, Frances Hefner (Wiatrowski) of Orleans, and her children: Mark Hefner Wiatrowski of Winchester, Gwynne Wiatrowski Guzzeau of Orleans, and Margot Wiatrowski Hallgren of Boston, and three great-nieces and a great-nephew: Helena, Anna, Olivia, and Garrison. He was pre-deceased by his sister Barbara Hefner Dominguez of Norwich, CT, and is survived by her children, Anthony "Gus" Dominguez of Baltic, CT, and Carol D. Santoro of East Hampton, CT, and great-nephew and great-niece, Christopher and Alexandra. He is also survived by his sister-in-law Rosemary Spillane of Worcester, and his niece and nephews: John J. Spillane of Worcester, Joseph Spillane of Worcester, Maryanne K. Spillane McInturf of Milton, Matthew T. Spillane of Sandwich, and Michael J. Spillane of Worcester, and great-nieces and great-nephews: Kathleen, John, Palmer. William Francis Hefner, Jr., a resident of The Village at Duxbury, Duxbury, MA, and a long time resident of Scituate, passed away on January 21, 2011, at Jordan Hospital in Plymouth, following a brief illness. Born in Southbridge on January 16, 1924, the son of the late William F. and Marion Sullivan Hefner, he was the beloved husband of the late Joan Spillane Hefner. They led an active community life in Scituate. Bill Hefner attended Southbridge schools, graduated from Worcester Academy and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, class of January 1945. During the last months of WWII he served aboard oil tankers in the Atlantic and Mediterranean in the Maritime Service and as a US Navy Reserve Officer. After the war, he earned a BA degree from Mass Maritime, and pursued an engineering career with Socony Vacuum Oil Co., General Electric, and the Massachusetts DPW. In 1959, Bill’s engineering skills were personally and successfully tested by Hyman Rickover during the construction of the world’s first nuclear powered surface vessel at the Fore River Shipyard in Quincy. A lifelong sailing enthusiast, Bill was a member of the Scituate Harbor Yacht Club, and ably assisted by his wife Joan, was active in the Mass Maritime Alumni Association. He is survived by his sister, Frances Hefner (Wiatrowski) of Orleans, and her children: Mark Hefner Wiatrowski of Winchester, Gwynne Wiatrowski Guzzeau of Orleans, and Margot Wiatrowski Hallgren of Boston, and three great-nieces and a great-nephew: Helena, Anna, Olivia, and Garrison. He was pre-deceased by his sister Barbara Hefner Dominguez of Norwich, CT, and is survived by her children, Anthony "Gus" Dominguez of Baltic, CT, and Carol D. Santoro of East Hampton, CT, and great-nephew and great-niece, Christopher and Alexandra. He is also survived by his sister-in-law Rosemary Spillane of Worcester, and his niece and nephews: John J. Spillane of Worcester, Joseph Spillane of Worcester, Maryanne K. Spillane McInturf of Milton, Matthew T. Spillane of Sandwich, and Michael J. Spillane of Worcester, and great-nieces and great-nephews: Kathleen, John, Palmer, Grace, Joseph, Elizabeth, and Lincoln. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Bill's honor to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy (www.maritime.edu/donate ). Please use the comments box to designate your gift in memory of William Hefner. Visiting hours will be held on Monday, January 24th from 2-4 and from 6-8:00 PM at the Shepherd Funeral Home, 216 main St (Rt. 106) Kingston. A funeral mass will be held on Tuesday, January 25th at Holy Family Church in Duxbury at 10:00 AM. Internment will be at St. Johns cemetery in Worcester.