William Howard Hackett

William (Bill) Howard Hackett, age 84, of Rocky Mount, VA, passed away at his home on Monday March 2, 2015. Bill was born on April 1, 1930, in Jefferson, Wisconsin. He served 4 years on active duty in the U.S. Navy from 1948 to 1952. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1957. He worked for 30 years as an accounting manager at AT&T in New York, and retired to Smith Mountain Lake, VA in 1985. He and his loving wife of 60 years, Ellen, moved to Rocky Mount in 2004. Since his move to Virginia he was active in the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, and served as president of the Carilion Franklin Memorial Hospital Auxiliary. He spent many years spearheading the Auxiliary?s annual Love Light Tree charity. In addition to his wife, Bill is survived by his son Steven Hackett and wife Kristen of West Windsor, NJ; his daughter Laurie Agel and husband William of Centerville, MA; his daughter Cheryl Jeter and husband Michael of Portsmouth, VA; his sister Eileen Olson of Lake Mills, WI; his 8 grandchildren, Andrea, Matthew, Katherine, Brittany, Jennifer, Robert, Katherine, and Caroline; as well as numerous nieces and nephews. A Mass of Resurrection will be held at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, March 7, 2015 at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church with Father Mark White officiating. His family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, March 6, 2015 at Flora Funeral Service & Cremation Center, Rocky Mount. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Love Light Tree, in care of Karon Jones, 1066 Chantilly Rd., Rocky Mount, VA, 24151.