William Samuel Haney, Jr.

William Samuel Haney Jr passed away on August 28 at his home in Oak Crest Village, Parkville, Md. The son of William Haney and Mary Lou Moore, he was born in Kentucky in 1934. He grew up in Maryland in Curtis Bay, moved across the country to California during his working years, retired to a rural waterfront farm on the Eastern Shore of Virginia and finally returned to Maryland in 2013. During high school at Polytechnic Institute he was a member of the marching band and a musician for the Poly Follies. He attended Cornell University where he was a member of Triangle Fraternity. He finished his degree in aeronautical engineering at the University of Maryland College Park where he received many academic honors. He was first in his graduating engineering class and was a member of the Tau Beta Pi, Omicron Delta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies. After graduation, he joined Douglas Aircraft Company in Southern California in the Missiles and Space Systems Division. Douglas became McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Company and, for the 35 years he was with them, he progressed through many engineering and supervisory positions retiring as vice president and general manager of the Space Systems Company Engineering Services. He returned to the east coast to retire near family members and bought a 59-acre waterfront farm on the Matchotank Creek just off the Chesapeake Bay near Onancock. The 100-year old farmhouse and property he named “Off Broadway” gave him more than enough opportunity to remain constantly busy. He kept 25 acres mowed, eight outbuildings in repair, raised oysters for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, weathered hurricanes and northeasters, took in numerous stray cats and dogs, enjoyed spectacular sunsets off the bay, and had epic adventures taking his family island hopping in the Chesapeake Bay on his boat the “Whitney C.” He raised gardens and fruit trees in competition with the deer, and was entertained by the Canada geese, wild turkeys, resident osprey, and the occasional fox that shared the property. Retirement included travel and golf games at the The Eastern Shore Yacht and Country Club in Melfa where he served on the board and as president. For many years he played saxophone in the Accomack CommUnity Band for concerts in the Onancock Town Square and in the annual Accomac July 4th parade. With advancing age he reluctantly sold the farm and moved back to the city but always remembered his time on Virginia’s Eastern Shore as the best ever. He is survived by his wife of 65 years Sandra; his son William and daughter in law Mary; grand daughter Whitney O’Brien (Ryan); sisters Carole Sue White (Bud) and Candace Thatcher (Rex); nieces and nephews; Missy Johnson Haney; and many good friends from the Group Therapy Happy Hour at Oak Crest where he was known for his flashy socks and, if the occasion arose, suddenly singing one of his old college songs. He was loved and is missed. Fly away, dear Bill.

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