Hoefer Funeral Home Inc

He was 86.His five children, Kevin, Brian, Megan, Sheila, and Colin, their spouses, his 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren survive him. He is also survived by his companion of several years, Robin Hoefer.Survivors said they miss his wit, storytelling, generous heart, and ability to infuse every situation with humor and spirit. He taught his children and grandchildren to work hard and be kind, and set the example of enjoying a long life of purpose and joy.He would say that his most impressive accomplishment was to persuade Eleanor Veronica Larkin, a five-foot-two-inch strawberry blonde captain of the St. Michael’s basketball cheerleaders, who he described as his “love and luck,” to be his wife. They met at age 15 and were married two weeks after his college graduation in 1953. Together they raised and educated five children, who say they owe their success and achievements to the values instilled by their parents. Their home was always filled with humor, activity, and the festive celebrations of countless milestones recorded by a large family.Mr. Heffron was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, on October 15, 1931, the only child of Violet (Brown) and Francis Heffron. After attending St. Peter’s Prep and Fordham University, where he was elected president of his senior class, he earned his MBA from New York University. He then began a more than 30-year career in the Bell system. His tenure included vice president-comptroller at New York Telephone, vice president of manufacturing at Western Electric, executive vice president of staff at Bell Laboratories, and executive vice president of planning and administration at AT&T. One of his favorite assignments was as general manager of Nassau and Suffolk counties for New York Telephone in the early 1970s, as it introduced him and his family to the joys of summering in Westhampton, a tradition the family continues today.Upon his retirement from the Bell system, Mr. Heffron became the chairman and chief executive officer of Covidea, a joint venture start-up formed by ...