William Robert Hecht, Jr.

William “Bill” Robert Hecht, Jr., age 73, of Bloomingdale, passed Tuesday, April 6, 2021.

He was born in Paterson to the late William Robert, Sr. and Marion Hecht. He graduated from Wayne High School with the Class of 1966 where he played soccer, football, and ran track.  Bill continued his education at Montclair State College where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Education. He served in the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam War from 1969 through 1970.

Bill began working at the Bonland Corporation in Wayne when he was twenty years old.  He started out pushing a broom and over his fifty year career with the company worked his way up to foreman and finally Head of Project Management.  During his semi-retirement he worked as a consultant before fully retiring in 2020.

For many years he was a parishioner of Our Lady of Consolation Church in Wayne.  He was an avid golfer and enjoyed the many friends he made while a member of the Packanack Golf Club in Wayne.

Bill could fix just about anything.  He was always tinkering in his detached garage which was his workshop.  He loved carpentry and made all sorts of holiday décor, toy boxes, birdhouses, and benches. Another one of his loves was fishing in his boat on Kampfe Lake. His gardens and yard were always kept perfect and he would spend hours cutting the grass on his riding mower. It can be honestly said that if he wasn’t working he was sleeping.

Bill will be lovingly remembered for not holding back and was always willing to speak his mind.  He had a great sense of humor, could be stern when he had to be, but when it came to his grandchildren he softened greatly and his eyes would light up the moment he saw them.

Bill met Catherine “Cathy” Boniface during their years at Wayne High School. Their first date was to a drive-in movie in Wayne, they attended each other’s senior proms together and soon fell deeply in love. Bill proposed marriage while sitting in his car in front of Cathy’s parents’ home in Wayne.  They married on September 5, 1970 at Our Lady of Consolation Church in Wayne and honeymooned in Puerto Rico.  They had a marriage built on trust and respect, they were fortunate to be best friends as well. Through their fifty years together Bill proved to be a great provider, loving father who never missed one of his kids’ games, and was a loving and devoted grandfather.

Bill was the loving husband of Catherine (Boniface) Hecht; devoted father of Maggie Quintavella and her husband Brian of Wayne, Katie Hecht of Pompton Lakes, William R. Hecht, III and his wife Tara of Wayne, and Robert Hecht and his wife Rachel of Wayne; he was the cherished grandfather of Hailey Hecht, Harper Hecht, Hayden Hecht, Andrew Quintavella, Kylie Hecht, Kate Hecht, and the late Callen William Quintavella (d.2014); he was the loved brother of Timothy Hecht and his wife Denise of Highland Lakes, and the late Robert Hecht. He was also the loved son in law of Ernest and Marge Boniface of Wayne.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to the Forget Me Not Foundation www.fmnfoundation.com would be greatly appreciated.