Obituary of Wilbur E. Hintz

Wilbur E. Hintz, age 90, passed away peacefully at home on February 7, 2013, surrounded by his loving family. Born on October 8, 1922, Bill grew up in the Roseland section of Chicago and lived there until college. At Calumet High School, he excelled in baseball and football, earning a football scholarship to the University of Detroit. World War II interrupted Bill’s college career. Serving his country with distinction as a naval assault boat officer aboard LST 701, he saw combat action in two major engagements in the Pacific theatre – the invasion of Leyte Gulf in the Philippine Islands and the invasion of Okinawa. Following discharge from the Navy, he resumed his college studies and was elected captain of the football team in 1946. During a two-week period in 1947, he graduated from college, married his childhood sweetheart, Marion Massier, and began his business career at Mutual Benefit Life. For over 40 years, he worked in the life insurance industry, holding executive positions at Mutual Benefit Life and Metropolitan Life. Dedication to core values instilled by his parents – love of family, faith in God, generosity, honesty and integrity – earned Bill the universal admiration of his business associates, family, and friends. He served in his church, taking on congregational leadership roles and teaching Sunday school. Each August, Bill enjoyed vacation time with family and lifelong friends at Moose Pond in Maine, where he was responsible for schooling many of us in the fine arts of fishing and boating. He was especially fond of gathering with neighbors on the beach in the evenings. Bill was a long-time volunteer at Morristown Memorial Hospital, and enjoyed helping patient families and visitors in a variety of roles over the years. Bill was passionate about fishing. His skills and catches in the lakes and ponds and off the shores of New Jersey, Maine, and Florida were legendary. An avid golfer, Bill was a member of both Mendham Golf & Tennis Club in NJ and Foxfire Country Club in Naples, FL where he played often. One of Bill’s proudest accomplishments was the development of a substantial colony of purple martins at Mendham Golf & Tennis Club. A self-taught songbird enthusiast, he and a crew of volunteers learned by trial and error how to attract and care for purple martins for the benefit of the natural environment to the delight of the club members who observed the effort with great interest. Bill organized two member fund-raising events in support of the bird program, an adult golf tournament, “This is For the Birds,” and “Bird Day” for kids and their parents and grandparents to work with baby birds and help with bird-banding. Bill’s work with birds earned him recognition by the United States Golf Association and the Purple Martin Conservation Association, and was chronicled in local news publications. A devoted family man, Bill was preceded in death by Marion, his beloved wife of 60 years, and brothers Warren and Ed. He is survived by his brother Richard (Bethlehem, PA), son Michael Hintz (Lincroft, NJ), daughters Debbie James (Silver Spring, MD), Holly Hintz (Charlottesville, VA), seven grandchildren – Kate, David, Meaghan, Ben, Brian, Jonathan, and Eleanor – and beloved companion, Gladys Hedison. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, February 12, 2013, 2:00 – 4:00 PM and 7:00 – 9:00 PM at Bailey’s Funeral Home, 8 Hilltop Road, Mendham, NJ. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, February 13, 2013 at 10:30 AM, Somerset Hills Lutheran Church, 350 Lake Rd., Basking Ridge, NJ. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to Atlantic Hospice, 465 South Street, Morristown, NJ 07960.