Dr. William "Bill" Crockett Heeney

September 27, 1934 to February 9, 2022

William C. Heeney known as Bill to family and friends passed away at the age of 87 on February 9, 2022.

He is survived by his wife Donna Holmes Heeney of Nacogdoches, TX; son Mike Heeney, his wife Mary Jane and their children, Jill and Will all of Cypress, Tx; Hayley, her husband Jay Lawhon of Conroe, TX; and daughter Margaret Dalton, her husband David and their children Katie and Maddie all of Kennett, MO. Bill is also survived in death by his sister Louise Heeney Weeks of Angleton, TX and by his twin brother Dennis Heeney and his wife Millie of Bainbridge Island, WA. Bill was preceded in death by his parents Ben and Ruby Heeney and his older brother Ike Heeney.

Bill was born on September 27, 1934 in Trinity, TX. When Bill was a young child, his family moved to Freeport, TX where he grew up. Later in life, Bill enjoyed returning to High School and choir reunions and reconnecting with the people from his youth. Bill was a proud member of the Fond du Lac Band of the Chippewa Nation. He also was a member of the Bonita United Methodist Church and enjoyed participating in the fellowship and activities provided by the Church. After retiring from SFASU, Bill enjoyed running the Lazy H Angus Cattle farm in Kirbyville, TX. This was a hobby that kept Bill entertained, energetic, and close to family.

Bill will be remembered as a loving husband, father, and grandfather. Bill and Donna married in Houston, TX on June 28, 1962 and remained each other’s devoted spouse for 59 years. Bill loved and depended on his wife throughout his life to be his companion, the mother of his children and his support in every facet of life. Early in their marriage, Bill and Donna moved numerous times for Bill to pursue his education and career. They lived in Houston, Austin, Dallas, Utah, Seattle, Boston, Corpus Christi, and Bay City. Eventually, they moved to Nacogdoches, TX where they chose to remain to raise their children and be close to family.

Bill was a loving father to Mike and Margaret. He always made sure that his children knew they were loved and supported. He always asked questions about their lives, encouraged us to do better, and provided the support they needed to do better. He was proud of his children every day but was perhaps the most proud on those days that they graduated from high school and college. His face just seemed to beam a bit more when they received those diplomas. The quote remembered most from childhood was, “Anywhere you want to go to college, your mother and I will send you.” Both Mike and Margaret took him up on it.

Bill will be remembered by his children and grandchildren for his magic separating thumb, his relentless tickling and his enduring belief in the power of education. To the end of his life, Bill remained a sweet and caring Grandpa. Hayley, Jill, Will, Katie and Maddie were always a source of joy for Bill. Being a grandpa one of his greatest pleasures. Whenever possible, he attended sporting events, band concerts, choir concerts, violin recitals, piano recitals, church events and school events. Watching the grandchildren brought a special joy to his face. Each of the five grandchildren has special memories of their Grandpa.

Bill’s own path in life was greatly affected by the education he sought and obtained. After enlisting in the Army, he attended Sam Houston State University on the GI Bill and earned a B.S. in Math. From there he would embark on a journey to improve his life and the lives of those around him through education. Bill continued his education earning a Masters’ degree in Education from the University of Houston and a Masters’ degree in Math Education from Boston College. He completed his education at the University of Texas at Austin earning a Ph.D. in Educational Administration.

Bill’s career began as a math teacher at Burbank Junior High school in Houston, TX. He held several other teaching positions including an administrative position in the Dallas Independent School District prior to accepting a position at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. It was at SFASU where Bill found his professional calling. He was a professor and department chair in the Department of Secondary Education and Administration for most of his professional life. He retired from SFASU in 1998.

Donna, Mike, and Margaret would like to thank and extend our sincere appreciation to the many family members, friends and strangers who took the time to show Bill the love, understanding and patience required to spend time with him. Bill remained the kind, caring, and loving husband, dad and grandpa that we all knew until the end of his life.

The family requests that memorial donations be made to the Bonita United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 632701, Nacogdoches, TX 75963

A memorial service officiated by Pastor Rick Anderson will be held on February 19, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. at Bonita United Methodist Church.

“Death has been swallowed up in victory.” 1 Corinthians 15:54

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.casonmonk-metcalf.com for the Heeney family.