William Heintz

William Wagner Heintz, 99, a resident of Bayfields in Harwood since 1946, died of natural causes Oct. 30 at home.

Mr. Heintz was born Feb. 29, 1908, in Washington, D.C., where he graduated from Eastern High School in 1926 and the University of Maryland in 1930 with a bachelor of science degree in chemistry. While in college, he was football captain and earned three letters. He was later honored during a Maryland game in 2003 as one of the oldest living players.

He retired in 1988 from the Williams and Heintz Map Corporation in Capitol Heights as president after 58 years of service.

An avid gardener, he tended a large vegetable garden well into his 80s. His interests included hunting birds and ducks, raising field trial dogs, fishing and making decoys. He was a charter member and the first and two-time president of the Lithography Club of Washington, D.C.

As the owner of a dozen sailboats, he raced in many different classes, from 12-foot dinghy to a 40-foot ocean racer. He also built five sailboats and one 25-foot cruiser. He was co-founder and first commodore of the West River Sailing Club as well as president and founder of the group's Penquin Class during the 1930s. In 1973, he was commodore of the Sailing Club of the Chesapeake. He also was past national president of the Thistle Class of Sailboats during the 1950s and past president of the Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association.

His wife, the late May Rose Richter Heintz, died in 1990. Surviving are one son, Richard Louis Heintz Sr. of Harwood; one daughter, Judith Anne Heintz of Harwood; four grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. Nov. 10 at the Hardesty Funeral Home, 905 Galesville Road in Galesville. Inurnment will follow in St. Anne's Cemetery in Annapolis.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Children's Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20010. Online condolences can be made to www.hardestyfuneralhome.com.