William Allan Heimann Jr.

In December of 1967 he was drafted into the United States Navy, where he served our county for four years. After training at San Diego, California and Norfolk, Virginia, he was stationed near Subic Bay and Olongapo, Philippines serving during the Vietnam War as a communications and cryptology technician, routinely carring cryptographic codes between the Philippines and Vietnam during the war transiting the South China Sea on various warships including destroyers. He also worked on radio communications between the United States to Naval forces in the Vietnam Theater. After returning to the United States, he was assigned to a communications ship in Long Beach before leaving the Navy in August 1971.

After the war, William went back to school to become a Certified Dental Technician, then spending the better part of 40 years working at most of the major dental labs in the area. He became well-known for his skill at making dental prosthesis, as well as his jovial nature with co-workers.

William was known as Buddy by his friends and loved to socialize. His down-to-earth, blunt personality led to many well-known stories of Buddy told by anyone who met him. His warmth and sense of humor would always leave a strong impression on anyone lucky enough to speak to him. He was honest, hard-working and friendly, and if William said he would do something, it was a fact.

His hobbies included cars, motorcycles, and cooking. He was lucky enough to own many cars, and owned several versions of both of his dream cars; Corvettes and Mustangs. He was proud of his cars and took care of them meticulously. Many of his stories involved incidents and shenanigans with cars and to watch him tell such stories with such enthusiasm was truly a treat.

He loved to cook for his family, friends and co-workers and was very skilled at it. He kept a tradition his mother started of family dinners alive by cooking each Sunday and family members were expected to be there. He was always entertaining at the dinner table, telling colorful stories of his childhood and career definitely having a way with words telling a story in vivid detail with a humor only he could deliver.

After his family, William loved his dogs the most. He would often go to great lengths to make sure they were happy and content since his dogs were his best friends and closest companions later in his life. He had a very close bond with his pets, especially his beloved black Lab Dixie and his chocolate Lab, Lucky, both of which are cremated and interred with him, to honor his love of them.

He is survived by his elder brother Randolph William Heimann, only child Samantha Lauren Hilton, as well as his three grandchildren, Charles Allen Beckwith Smith, Paul Carter Hilton, II and Catherine Grace Hilton.