Norman Gilbert Hettinger, aged 85, passed away on Thursday, February 20, after a long bravely borne illness. He was the son of Lillian and Robert Hettinger and was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., on March 12, 1939.
Norman is survived by his loving wife of 61 years, Gillian; his son Jonathan and his partner Francesco Giannese; his daughter Caitlin and son-in-law Christopher McNeill of Sheffield, Mass.; and his granddaughter Audrey Jane. A dearly beloved daughter, Amanda, predeceased him in 1977.
Norman, who held a B.S. in mathematics, was a proud Army veteran, serving in the Army Security Agency in both England and Germany, which honed his skills in telecommunications and led to a lifelong career in the field. He worked for many years with such major corporations as RCA, GE, and Western Union. The capstone of his career was working as a consultant in telecommunications for the government of Saudi Arabia in the immediate aftermath of the Gulf War. Here he not only enjoyed the challenges of the job but also the joy of living in the desert and taking part in marathons with the Riyadh Road Runners.
Norman also lived for 50 years in Pompton Plains, N.J., where he was an active member of the community, serving on local boards and committees, including as North Jersey Chapter Chairman of the Institute of Electric and Electronics Engineers. Moving full time to Sheffield in 2018, he loved this rural community and enjoyed his hobbies of hiking, photography, birdwatching, and banjo playing. Norman also loved to travel and visited such far-flung places as Sri Lanka, Bahrain, Peru, Brazil, and Argentina.
In addition to his immediate family, Norman was a member of a large, extended family on his mother’s side, “The Hostler Clan,” rooted in the Allegheny Mountains. He reveled in the annual family reunions held in Pennsylvania and Virginia, and he never lost his country roots, despite working in New York City for much of his life. He had a keen sense of humor, and his favorite saying was: “I’m just an Allegheny mountain boy, trying to make it in the big city.” Norman was also very close to his wife’s English relatives, the Whiteleggs and the Mattinsons.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Lich Gate Concerts in care of Christ Trinity Church, 180 Main Street, Sheffield. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.
