William R. "Bill" Hampshire

William R. “Bill” Hampshire, 85, of Manheim passed peacefully at home on Friday, March 21, 2014 after a long battle with skin cancer. He inspired many people with his positive attitude, faith, and courage. Born in Lancaster, Ohio, he was the son of the late Ernest and Georgia Groff Hampshire. He was the loving husband of the late Jean Campbell Hampshire who passed in 2010.
Bill served in the United States Navy during WWII and earned his B.S. from Miami University of Ohio and Ohio State University. He started his career at Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., Akron, OH in 1951 as a Quality Control Engineer. In 1952, he worked as a Senior Quality Control Engineer with Kaiser Aluminum, Newark, OH, subsequently moving to Kaiser’s Bristol, RI and Ravenswood, WV plants. Bill joined Harvey Aluminum, in 1964, in Torrance, CA and then Hawesville, KY. In 1968, he moved to Lancaster, PA to serve as Expansion Engineering Manager, Plant Manager and Senior VP of the Howmet Aluminum plant, currently Alcoa. He retired from Howmet in 1984 as President/CEO, Greenwich, CT and moved back to Manheim, PA where he founded Hampshire Orchards. He also continued as an aluminum consultant and retired as a director of Century Aluminum Co., CA in 2005 after 53 years in the aluminum industry.
He served as senior Warden and member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Manheim. He enjoyed tennis, golf, cooking, travel, and gardening.
Surviving are three children, Michael husband of Denise Hampshire of Murphy, Texas, Jennifer wife of Joseph Boyle of Basking Ridge, New Jersey and Jonathan husband of Jennifer Hampshire of Lancaster, and five grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a sister, Eileen Phillips, Lancaster, OH.
A memorial service will be held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 90 South Charlotte Street, Manheim on Wednesday, March 26, 2014 at 11:00 AM. Interment will be private and at the convenience of the family in Lancaster, OH. Friends may visit with the family at the church on Wednesday morning from 10:30 AM until the time of service. Please omit flowers. Those desiring may send contributions in Bill’s memory to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 90 South Charlotte Street, Manheim, PA 17545.