William Huck/Bill W Eakley

William Walter "Huck" "Bill" Eakley was born on May 9, 1920 in Montclair, NJ. He was raised in Bloomfield NJ along with his two sisters -- Mary "Snooks" and Eleanor, and two brothers -- George "Bub" and Francis "Frannie." Another brother, Joseph, died shortly after birth. Huck's nickname derived from his resemblance to Huckleberry Finn.

Though a good child, Huck often got in trouble with his mother. She would send him and his sister Eleanor to church on Sunday morning -- only they wouldn't actually make it to church, they'd go to the diner.

Huck graduated Bloomfield High School in June 1940. He was very proud of his high school and of the accomplishments of many of his classmates, whose careers he followed over the years.

He enlisted in the US Army in 1942 and served in the Pacific Theater, spending time in areas including Hawaii, Io-Shima, and Saipan. He was honorably discharged in October 1945.

Upon completion of military service, Huck returned to Bloomfield. He married Ethel Floden. They lived in Bloomfield and later in Verona. Huck went into insurance sales, becoming a successful broker. They had no children. Huck did love kids, though and for some time he drive the school bus in Bloomfield. He once diverted his route because a little girl had gotten on the bus crying -- she'd left her doll at home. Huck circled back to her house so she could go get the doll.

All his life, Huck was an active member of his community. In Bloomfield he was Chairman of the "house to house" committee for the Mental Health Commission, a member of the Republican County Committee, Secretary of the Recreation Commission, and Coordinator for the March of Dimes.

Huck always remained close to his family. His mother, Nora, had come to the US in 1912, traveling on a ship with her sister and a friend. The other two girls went back, but Nora stayed. He and Ethel escorted his mother on her first trip back to Ireland (nearly 60 years after she left).

Huck truly "never met a stranger," and had many friends in the north Jersey area. He remained close to a number of them even after he and Ethel retired and moved to Florida in the early 1970s. They bought a condo in the Highland Lakes subdivision of Palm Harbor. At the time, their road ended at an orange grove. That changed over the years, but Huck never did. He was a man who loved people -- and people loved him. He would help anyone in need -- friend or stranger -- with no expectation of anything in return.

An avid sports fan, Huck was especially drawn to football and golf. He was very involved in the golf activities at Highland Lakes. He and Ethel both played golf, though she took it a bit more seriously than Huck whose main goal was to have a good time. He was very involved in the Golf Committee, as well as a variety of other Highland Lakes activities. He also manned the Goodwill Collection trailer.

In later years, Ethel developed alzheimers and Huck was as always the dedicated husband. He cared for Ethel at home as long as he could, then took her Manor Care. Every day she was there Huck went to visit. He would take her to the lobby and talk to her -- and to anyone else who happened to pass through. The staff dubbed him the Mayor of Manor Care, and they looked after him as well as Ethel.

When Ethel died in August 2009, Huck's routine changed a bit, but not his zest for life. He still visited Manor Care once a week. He continued to meet friends for breakfast at Publix (and in later years at McDonalds). He hated to be stuck in the house, so he would be out and about doing one thing or another -- driving until he was over 90, then getting around on his bright red scooter. Huck played bingo twice a week and never missed an opportunity to buy a lottery ticket. He volunteered at Mease Countryside Hospital for a number of years, right up until his final illness prevented him doing so. His job there mainly involved talking to people -- precisely what he was best at doing.

Despite all the times Huck skipped Mass in his early years, he found his way to St Luke's Catholic Church in later years. Of course, Mass was his ticket to dinner with his lady friends. Saturday afternoons he'd attend Mass, banter with the priest, and then go to dinner with anywhere from two to a dozen ladies. He loved to tell waiters: "See these old women. I checked them out of the home. I have to them back by 9."

Huck had a wonderful sense of humor -- and quite the teaser. He and one friend in particular would trade insults every time they talked. Huck called this man "pin head" and "you dope" but the love and respect that he had for this friend -- and all his friends -- was deep and genuine. The more he teased you, the more he liked you.

By 2014 Huck was slowing down a bit and he decided that it was time to go into assisted living. He called upon two very dear friends to sell his condo for him. They did that and more. This couple got the condo ready for sale, sold it, packed Huck's things, and arranged his move, among other things. They were phenomenal and he was grateful to them.

Huck enjoyed assisted living, but unfortunately he was only there a week when he became ill. The staff found him in a diabetic coma. He was rushed to the hospital and he recovered, but he never really bounced back. He went to Manor Care for rehabilitation (to get him back on his feet). But he was too weak by then, and his health continued to decline.

Huck died peacefully in his sleep. Though he is physically gone, his memory lives on in the many, many lives that he touched.