Bill Heenan - centenarian

19/9/2008

* Bill Heenan (1923-24) celebrated his 100th birthday last Thursday (September 11th) with fam,ily and friends in Christchurch - and may well be our most senior living Old Boy.

Centenarian Bill Heenan reading his congratulatory message from the Queen on his 100th birthday on 11th September

A retired Mossburn farmer, Bill is the proud recipient of a QSM for Services to the Community, mainly in recognition of his 12 years as chairman of the Southland Hospital Board.

With his late brother Archie (1925), Bill attended many Old Boys’ Society functions and he forms part of a strong link to the history of the school. Brothers Archie and Ralph (1929) were at Otago Boys’ as was his son-in-law, the late Donald Goodall (1951-52).

And the link continues through Bill’s late wife’s family.

His brothers-in-law Arthur Buckham (1925-27) and Jim Buckham (1929-30) were pupils not long after he left with Jim’s son Revell (1966-70) and grandsons Kieran (1999-2002) and William (2003-07) continuing the tradition.

It's been a big month for our more elderly Old Boys.

Professor John Bullamore Mackie (1924-28), Emeritus Professor of the University of Otago's School of Surveying, celebrated his 98th birthday in Nelson on 3rd September.