Obituary of Lester W Huneke

Lester W. “Bill Sr. “ Huneke passed away peacefully and with dignity on May 28, 2016. Bill, as he was always known, was born in Brooklyn, NY and then raised in various towns in North Jersey. One of his earliest jobs was working at Gruning’s Ice Cream parlor in West Orange, but when World War II began, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. After going for initial education at Syracuse University with the Air Corps, he was assigned to several fields in the South where he trained as a pilot. The war ended before he could be assigned any combat duty, but he long remembered his days “in service” with special pride and fondness, and he fittingly passed on Memorial Day weekend. Returning back to NJ after the war, he met his lifelong love, Dorothy, while roller skating. He pursued her until she said “Yes”, and they were married over 68 years. They bought a home in Clifton in 1957 and lived there before retiring to Silver Ridge Park. Bill was a Deacon at the Allwood Community Church, a Cub Scout den leader, and served as President of the Clifton High School PTA, where he delighted in being his own man and doing what he felt was right, not what the “powers that be” wanted him to do. Many a night at auto races at Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson led to a lifelong love of auto racing. He and his son, Bill, attended races at local tracks, Watkins Glen, Bridgehampton, Trenton, Langhorne, and many others, with the weekends camping at The Glen being among the most enjoyable. He and Bill Jr. spent many an evening racing slot cars at hobby centers and in the basement in Clifton. Dot and Bill worked at Pine Brook Speedway in its final seasons. In 1982 the family made their first of many visits to the Indianapolis 500, and in 2010 they were featured on a piece on “Good Morning America” with Robin Roberts about their passion for the 500. Ironically, he passed one day short of the 100th running of the race. He worked for many years for Tilton Dairy and Ideal Farms, as well as with a family flea marketing business. To anyone who asked “How are you?”, his trademark response was always “Couldn’t be better!” For 15 years he was a volunteer with and Captain of the Holiday City-Berkeley First Aid Squad. One of the most enjoyable things to him in his later years was visiting Miller Air Park, where he helped out with vintage war planes, occasionally catching a ride in one of them. On the occasions when the owner let him take the controls for a while, he not only handled it well, but came down with a smile that would last for weeks. He was predeceased by his brother, Henry, of Springfield, NJ. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Dorothy; his son, William of Toms River; his younger brother, Roy, of Naples, FL, and Roy’s children Donna, Donald, David, Debby, Douglas, and Dennis; his “honorary daughter”, Sharon Thompson, and her daughter, Courtney; and by his many friends from the world of auto racing and the flea market, who always knew that he “Couldn’t be better!” According to his wishes, services were private. Special thanks to the “We Honor Veterans” group for a moving ceremony and patriotic quilt; and to the ER staff, Floor 2, and Floor 4 hospice care staff at Community Medical Center, who treated him with care, compassion, and love. In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution in his name to the Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey, which provided extraordinary care and comfort to us all. (Checks to “VNA Hospice”, 1433 Hooper Ave., Suite 230, Toms River, NJ 08753). Or remember that every morning, without fail, he would get up and tell his wife “I love you” across the breakfast table….filling her “love bank” for years to come. Say that to someone you love in his honor and memory.