William (Bill) G. Heron, 101, of Middletown, passed away July 7, 2021. He was born June 9, 1920, to Raymond Heron and Katherine Driver in Atlantic City.
Bill was raised in Philadelphia. He joined the United States Army in 1941 to help defend the country. Upon being assigned to Fort Monmouth, he met his future wife, Dolores Moraller of Fair Haven, at a U.S.O. dance in Red Bank during World War II. They married September 25, 1943, just before he shipped out to fight in the Pacific.
After Bill returned from the war, they settled in Fair Haven and started a family of four boys. The family were members of the Monmouth Boat Club in Red Bank. The family has fond memories of Bill building a Sailfish Sailboat from a kit and the many times fishing on the Navesink River with his sons, not to forget the many years racing his lightning class sailboat. He and Dede later moved to Puerto Rico where they purchased a 47-foot sailboat and sailed the Caribbean.
After retirement in 1981, they bought a waterfront home near St. Michaels, Maryland. From there they would close up the house and in the winter sail to the Bahamas and return in the spring. Bill and Dede also made many cross-country drives to see America and visit family and friends. Last September they celebrated their 77th wedding anniversary.
Over his lifetime they resided in Fair Haven, Little Silver, Puerto Rico and Maryland. Dede passed away April 3, 2021.
Bill is survived by his four sons, Michael and Deirdre of Pleasant Hills, California; Jim and Darlene of Panama City Beach, Florida; Paul and Jacqueline of Red Bank; and David and Monica of Cartersville, Georgia.
Cremation was private as per Bill’s wishes. Arrangements are under the direction of John F. Pfleger Funeral Home, Middletown.
The article originally appeared in the July 15 – 21, 2021 print edition of The Two River Times.
