Heston Stillings Hirst

HIRST, HESTON 'HESTY' STILLINGS, 89, of Bay Spring Avenue, Barrington died peacefully Thursday, June 16 at the South Kingstown home of his son.

He was born in Concord, NH November 8, 1915, to Edgar Clarkson Hirst and Mary Walker Stillings Hirst. He grew to be a kind and gentle man--a real nice guy.

Hesty maintained a 73-year-long relationship with his beloved alma mater, Dartmouth College, where he majored in Chemistry, and studied chemical engineering at Thayer School of Engineering. He played percussion in the band and orchestra, was a lighting director in college theater and played intramural water polo.

The Factory Mutual Engineering Division in Boston hired young Heston in 1937. He was hired as the Chief Engineer of the Blackstone Mutual Fire Insurance Company in Providence in 1945 and moved his family to Barrington. He was the Executive Vice President and Secretary of Allendale for many years, retiring in 1982 after 45 years of work in the Factory Mutual System.

Heston was an active citizen of Barrington. He was a member of the School Study and School Building Committees for the Primrose Hill, Nayatt and Sowams Elementary Schools. He served on the Barrington Budget and Bicentennial Committees and was twice elected Town Moderator. He also served on the Task Force that helped determine the co-location of the Barrington Fire and Police Departments. He was a long-time board member of the Barrington District Nursing Association, and subsequently the East Shore and RI Visiting Nurse Associations. Mr. Hirst was an early member of the Barrington Players and was the lighting director for many productions.

Heston Hirst was a devoted member of the First Unitarian Church of Providence for over fifty years. He was the treasurer of the church for 18 years and served two terms as President.

Heston loved firefighting and owned a 1929 Ahrens-Fox pumper. He delighted in giving fire truck rides at the annual Barrington Cub Scout Circus. He was a long time call man for the Barrington Fire Department and was ultimately appointed Chief's Aide; in 1982 Mayor Vincent 'Buddy' Cianci, Jr. made him an Honorary Chief of the Providence Fire Department.

Heston met and fell in love with Ruth Elizabeth Galway of Roxbury, MA. They were married on September 9, 1939. They had three children: Ann Sande of Grand Forks, ND, Edgar Hirst of Santa Monica, CA and George Hirst of South Kingstown, RI.

Survivors include his wife, Ruth, their three children and their spouses, nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, his nephew, Grant Hirst; and the kind and caring staff of the EPOCH Nursing Care Facility in Providence.

A memorial Service will be held at the First Unitarian Church of Providence on the tenth of September at ten o'clock in the morning.

Memorial Donations may be sent in the name of Heston S. Hirst to: HOME AND HOSPICE CARE OF RI, SOUTH TEAM, 143 Main Street, Wakefield, RI 02879. Arrangements by Avery-Storti Funeral Home.