Joey William Hegeman

Joey William (Bill) Hegeman, Capt. USN (ret) January 17, 1934 to September 16, 2009 We have a huge hole in our hearts; Dad lost his battle with melanoma. Bill was a native of Vallejo, CA who made his home in Draper, UT. He was a man who served. He graduated from the California Maritime Academy in 1956 and retired 34 years later, a distinguished Captain in the intelligence community. Bill served aboard the USS RANDOLF, USS GURKE, and as Commanding Officer of USS UMPQUA. Many sea stories later, Bill joined Naval Intelligence and served in Vietnam at the height of the conflict, earning the Bronze Star, with Combat Valor. The Hegeman family also saw tours in Washington DC, Greece and Japan. Congress authorized an extension of Bill's statutory retirement so that he could command the Office of DoD Inspector General, Wiesbaden, Germany. In addition to the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the German government awarded Bill the German Silver Cross. In his retirement, he nurtured his roses and his grandchildren. He enjoyed running his LGB trains with his dear friends. The same hands that carved laps in the swimming pool, defended Mud Island at the Russian River, thumped Adam's apples, and devastated opponents in thumb-wars, comforted grandchildren, rescued frogs from window wells, and nursed orchids back to health. They made hot chocolate how it is supposed to be made: with whole milk and marshmallow créme. Bill defended order to the end. Before he lost the ability to stand, he used the last of his strength to sort the recycling. He was "green" when green wasn't cool. Bill is survived by his wife Ruth, his daughters Ruthie Filloux (Fran), Joanie Robbins (Rob), Julie Hegeman (Tony Blaylock), and Jennie Hegeman, and his grandchildren Claire and Madeleine Filloux, Katie and William Robbins, Sophie and Magdalen Blaylock, and Alberic Hegeman. He also leaves behind his cherished brother, Richard (Yvonne); cousins, Lynnie Johnson (Bob) and Nola Brimhall (Gary), his nieces and nephews, his bulldog Bubba and a whole Navy of brothers-at-sea. The family would like to thank Dad's awesome neighbors, who meant the world to him, and his amazing caregivers from VistaCare- Brad and Walter.