William R Hauke jr. ’58

Date posted: April 10, 2015, 10:52 am

William R. Hauke Jr. passed away peacefully on April 1, 2015, surrounded by his loving family. He was born on Aug. 1, 1936, son of the late William R. Hauke Sr. and Ellinor Bean Hauke. He was raised in Burlington, graduated from Burlington High School in 1954, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1958, where he was a member of the Phi Kappa Sigma Fraternity. It was here that Bill met and married the love of his life, Carole Aherne. They were married July 2, 1961, at St. Theresa’s Church in West Roxbury, Massachusetts. He then returned to Burlington to join his father and uncle in the family building business. Bill was devoted to providing affordable housing to Chittenden County until his retirement in 1989. He took great pride in helping hundreds of families achieve the American dream of homeownership. In addition to his business, he was very generous with his time, involving himself in many community activities. He was a Scout Master of Troop 50 in Burlington for 33 years and was able to instill his love of the outdoors and his passion to serve with so many. He served as a board member on the Burlington Department of Public Works, as well as a director for The National Association of Home Builders. Bill valued education and enjoyed contributing and being involved in fundraising for many local educational institutions. He also served as a board member of Champlain College for 12 years. Bill and Carole enjoyed a lifetime of activities together. Bill had a passion for traveling and was fortunate to visit all seven continents and shared many memorable vacations with his family. He was an avid hiker, completing both the Long Trail and the Appalachian Trail. Bill tried to pass on his love of hiking to his eleven grandchildren. Each year, he would have two or three volunteer (or be dragged) to accompany him on his annual Mt. Washington excursion to spend a night at the Lake of the Clouds Hut (Adam, you’re not off the hook). In addition, Bill and Carole were active square dancers for 48 years and enjoyed theater, as well as attending UVM hockey games. Colchester Point held a special place in his heart, having spent over 70 summers on Lake Champlain. He knew every secret black raspberry spot on the Point. His summer camp provided many great memories for both family and friends. Bill’s retirement to Florida in 1995 did not slow him down but afforded him even more time to devote to his volunteer activities, including Hibiscus House, Elliot Museum, Kiwanis, and Habitat for Humanity, as well as being chairman of the board of his condo association. Bill leaves many dear friends from his second fraternity, Miramar Royale. Bill’s summers in Vermont allowed him the opportunity to enjoy watching his grandchildren in their sporting and school activities. Bill was a humble man, however we would be remiss in not mentioning his gracious philanthropic generosity. He and Carole cared deeply for their fellow Vermonters, participating fully in dozens of philanthropic causes, rolling up their sleeves and working hard and giving generously in Vermont, Florida, and beyond. In recent years, he was particularly proud of seeing the completion of the Island Line bike path, and he and Carole donated the Local Motion bike ferry, providing access to South Hero. Bill certainly left his mark on this world. He was a kind, compassionate, and loving man. Bill, Carole, and the Paper Cranes Team devoted the past 11 years participating in the Jimmy Fund Walk (26.2 miles) and raising funds for cancer research.