George Edward Heddy Jr.

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am". John 14:1-3. George Edward Heddy Jr., age 89, passed away in Bel Air, Maryland on Thursday, Dec. 10, 2015. He was born November 8, 1926 in Suffern, New York to Charlotte and George E. Heddy. George attended Montclair H.S. in New Jersey, Dartmouth College and graduated from Col-gate University. He was an outstanding track and field, basketball and football athlete in high school and college. At the Jr. National Track and Field championships in 1944, he won the High Jump event, setting a new record by jumping 6'6". His senior year of high school he was awarded the MHS Award for student/athlete of the year and the Woodman Memorial Trophy for outstanding athletics. He was quarterback of his high school and college football teams, leading his high school to win the NJ State Championship his senior year. He enjoyed close lifetime friendships with his football teammates. He enlisted in the Navy during World War II from 1944 until the end of the war. He received the American Theatre, and Victory Medals. In 1949 he married Marian Miner in Short Hills N.J. They had four children, George III, Lau-rie, Michelle and Kathryn; who swam in the 1976 Olympic Games. He began a successful career working for Bell Telephone, where he was promoted over a span of 30 years to Executive Vice President with New York Telephone. He worked hard for civil rights in the 1960's, hiring African Americans to work for the telephone company despite threats to himself and his family. He approved and supported research for the cellular tele-phone. The family moved frequently as New York Telephone promoted George to various positions and areas of New York. He was an avid golfer, a member of Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield N.J. and later PGA West in Palm Desert. When he first retired, he was proud of the fact that he once achieved "the most rounds played" in one year at Baltusrol. He volunteered for the Metro-politan Golf Association and was the "Greens Chairman" at Baltusrol during the 1993 US Open Championship. After retirement, he moved to Bristol, VA where he built a home at the Virginian Golf Club. He enjoyed many wonderful years there with friends and visits from family. He faithfully loved and cared for his wife for 10 years as she declined from Alzheimers disease. He was recently predeceased by his wife of 66 years, Marian, who passed away on Sept. 5, 2015. His survivors are his brother, Richard Heddy (Jane) of Metedeconk NJ; sister, Carol Hed-dy Robinson of Erie, PA; children, George Edward Heddy III (Christina) of NC; Laurie Morris (Bill) of Bel Air MD; Michelle Haun (Dallas) of Las Vegas, NV; and Kathryn Drum of Long Beach CA; nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Services will be announced in the near future. In lieu of flowers, Memorial funds may be sent to Appalachian Sustainable Development, www.asdevelop.org and/or Colgate University at an-nualfund@colgate.edu.