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HEFLIN, WILLIAM HARRISON (BILL) passed away in Mount Vernon, Washington on March 2, 2013. He was born May 5, 1926 in Lincoln, Nebraska, to Bernice Irene Gross Heflin and William Duane Heflin. He spent his childhood in Ceresco, Nebraska, where his father ran a trucking business and his grandfather, Milo Harrison Gross, owned a general store. In 1937, the family moved to University Place, Lincoln, Nebraska where Bill attended Jackson and Northeast High Schools. In 1941, the family moved to Redwood City, California where he attended Sequoia High School, graduating in 1943. He then joined the Naval Reserve and was sent to the University Of Colorado, graduating in 1946 with a BSEE. He received an MBA from the Stanford School of Business in 1948. Upon graduating, Bill married Jean Kathryn Neilson, his wife of 64 years. Their daughter, Sue Ellen Heflin, lives on Samish Island, WA. Their son, William James Heflin lives in Victoria, B.C. as do their grandson William Jason Heflin, his wife Laika Lie, and great grandsons William Tomas Kajson and Kody Scott. Active in the electronics business in Canada and the US for years, he served as President of the Western Electronics Manufacturers' Association in 1965. His working life was spent in the telecommunications industry, both in the manufacturing and operating sides. He was President of the (CODETEl) Dominican Telephone Company, a GTE subsidiary, during the 1970's going on to work at GTE headquarters as Senior Vice President for Latin America and Far East. He retired from GTE in 1983 and went to Albuquerque to set up and operate New Mexico Technet, a data communication initiative of Senator Pete Domenici. He served on the board of Sandia Prep from 1995-1999. The fifteen years spent in New Mexico were interesting. Bill did the photography for his wife's book, Beautiful Beardtongues of New Mexico. His grandfather had introduced him to fishing and he fished many of the New Mexico streams. He was raised to Master Mason in 1952 and was a member of Peninsula Lodge #168 F&AM in Redwood City, California and Mount Baker Lodge #36 in Mount Vernon, Washington, where he had been elected as an Honorary Past Master. Memorial Services was held at Mount Baker Masonic Lodge #36 on Saturday, March 9th at 3:00 PM at the Masonic Hall at 1023 East College Way in Mount Vernon, WA.
        Published on: Sun March 10, 2013