Image courtesy of author
Dad collected trains, A-1 Beer art
co-workers, customers, or vendors,
people
he would often visit them at home or
abreast of employment possibilities
even the hospital to keep them up to
and prospective customers. It was a
date
great forum and still happens with
on
the
industry.
He
always
to
stay
informed,
keep
my Dad’s chair empty.
believed in paying it forward.
work, and vintage memorabilia such as
a
phone
booth,
barber
pole,
and
bicycles.
Just
His first job was for Moe’s Food Fair
recently he had purchased a 1949
at 35th Avenue and McDowell when he
My father was born in Providence,
Ford pick-up truck and also owned
was 16 years old. He saved enough to
Rhode Island on January 9, 1938 and
his grandfather’s (Homer Heeter) 1951
buy his first car, a navy blue 1949
his family moved to Phoenix in 1951.
Chevrolet.
His biggest passion in
Ford coupe. After Blakely Oil he
They lived in Alzona Park and Bill
the last few years of his life was
worked at Reynolds Aluminum in the
attended Isaac School and JB Sutton
collecting
Deere
Cast House. In 1958 he started work at
School. Dad served in the United
tractors which he proudly used at
Fisher Contracting in the dispatch
States Marine Corps Reserve from
the CJ Ranch in Mayer, Arizona. For
department and worked there until
1955-1963
they
Company as a Lance Corporal. My
barber
over
chair,
40
vintage
years,
he
John
went
four-
wheeling with the Sahauro 4X4 Club, which he helped found.
He
also
loved hunting.
were
sold
to
Tanner
with
He continued to serve as a Sales
Phoenix Union High School in 1957.
Manager
My dad never said a bad thing about
Vice
were
Engineers
mom
becoming
dad
9th
Contracting/United Metro Materials. until
and
the
graduates
President in 1972. They were sold to
anyone.
He
Ashland Oil and he continued to sell
competitors,
he
and
department.
workers like they were family, and
Ashland sold the company to Peter
he treated his friends like gold. He
Kiewit who in turn sold to Rinker
was
Station at 35th Avenue and Van Buren
Materials.
husband
from 1956-1957. He sold more tires,
until the company was sold to Cemex
Heeter, and he was the best father
batteries, and oil than
and
anyone
he made as an hourly
serving 53 years in the industry
respected
wage I
that’s
Bill always put his customers first
opinion, we are so very proud of
when his gift of sales
and had his finger on the pulse of
him but most of all we loved him and
blossomed.
the
we miss him .
Dad
worked
the
guess
Blakley’s
Service
manage
the
He
retired
sales
continued on
May
construction
Arizona.
5,
to 2009
industry
work after
in
the
most to
respected
of
treated
loving
our
could
and
mother,
ever
him,
we
ask
his
his
co-
caring Sharon for.
valued
We his
You could ask him about
any cement plant, ready-mix plant,
Bill is survived by his wife, Sharon,
aggregate pit, etc., and he could tell
of 56 years, his son, Paul Heeter, who
Bill stayed in contact with as many
you everything about it .he truly
works
concrete
was “Mr. Concrete.”
daughter, Connie (Craig) Jones, who
people
as
he
could,
for
West
Valley
Rock,
owns and operate CJS Enterprises
visiting old customers, and having
LLC here in Phoenix and Lisa (Pat)
breakfast with industry leaders. My
Gillooly
Dad should always be known for how
who
resides
he stayed in touch with his mentors
It began around 1985 as a way to keep
Albuquerque, New Mexico.
that he met during his early years
everyone
this
grandchildren
coming up in the concrete business.
industry,
move
grandchildren.
It didn’t matter whether they were
around so this was a good way for
Fifty
his
together. people
tend
In to
and
5
in
He has 10 great-