William F. "Bill" Heine

1942 - 2022

Stonington - William F. "Bill" Heine, 80, of Stonington, passed away from metastatic renal cell carcinoma, September 3, 2022, at home with his loving family by his side. He was born in Newark, N.J. Aug. 4, 1942, to Rose Doerr and Aloisius Heine.

He grew up in Manchester, and enlisted in the U.S. Navy after graduating from Manchester High School in 1961. He was stationed aboard the USS Gearing, out of Newport, R.I., and cruised the Mediterranean, on standby during the Vietnam War. After his discharge, he worked for Southern New England Telephone, which became SBC, for over 30 years, retiring in 2000. He started as a central office technician and retired in a management position as a network technical consultant. While doing this and raising a family, he went to school at night, graduating from Manchester Community College, Eastern Connecticut University and finally, receiving his MBA from Rensselaer Hartford Graduate Center. He was an adjunct professor at Rensselaer Hartford for a few years.

Bill had many interests and hobbies. He participated in the YMCA Indian Guides program and Boy Scouts with his sons. He owned many sports cars, a variety of motorcycles and boats. He taught himself sailing on a 12-foot sailing dingy and gradually moved up to a 30-foot sailboat, before switching to trawlers and finally buying a 44-foot Marine Trader. He loved boating in the Mystic area with family and friends, taking trips to Napatree Beach, Fishers Island, Block Island, Newport, Prudence Island, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. During his lifetime, he was a member of the U.S. Power Squadron, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, the Harley Owners Group and the British Iron Association Motorcycle Group. He was a skilled handyman and could fix anything - cars, motorcycles, boats and home repairs. He even did woodworking and made a beautiful hutch for our dining room.

Bill is survived by his wife of 51 years, Barbara (Wrobel) Heine; sons, Kevin and Daniel; daughter Melissa; and a loving grandson, Connor. He was predeceased by his son William Zachary. He is also survived by his brother Henry Heine and wife Sharon; his sister Barbara Douglass and husband Andrew; and many loving nieces and nephews.

A funeral Mass for Bill will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14, at St. Patrick Church, 32 East Main Street, Mystic. His burial will follow the Mass at Stonington Cemetery with military honors. There are no calling hours. Donations can be made in Bill's memory to Yale New Haven Health, Smilow Cancer Hospital, Office of Development, P.O. Box 1849, New Haven, CT 06508-1849 (www.ynhh.org/smilow).