Lt. William ‘Pop Pop’ N. Mees Of East Quogue Dies September 25

Lieutenant William N. Mees of East Quogue, a U.S. Navy veteran, quintessential family man, community servant and fervent admirer of his lawn, according to his family, died in his home on September 25 surrounded by his loved ones. He was 74.

In his own words, Mr. Mees’s life was like a marathon, but he has finally crossed the finish line, his family said.

Mr. Mees’s life took him around the world, to places like Singapore, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Saigon, Athens, Naples, Barcelona, Chamonix, and even from Key West to San Diego. A proud graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1968, Mr. Mees subsequently entered the U.S. Navy and Aviation Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, Florida, in 1969. Upon completion of flight training, he was recognized as a Distinguished Naval Graduate and assigned to Fighter Squadron 74 at Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach.

At the conclusion of his training, Mr. Mees was deployed aboard the carrier U.S.S. America, where he completed tours to the Mediterranean Sea and the Gulf of Tonkin off the coast of Vietnam. He accumulated over 1,000 hours of flight time, 200 carrier landings and 120 combat missions over North and South Vietnam flying the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom. Over the course of his naval career, Mr. Mees was awarded seven Air Medals and two Navy Commendation Medals.

In 1976, Mr. Mees resigned his commission as lieutenant and F-4 flight instructor with Fighter Squadron 101 and entered the private sector. Soon after, Mr. Mees opened Hampton Brake, an auto repair shop in the heart of East Quogue, where he honorably served his community for over 40 years. An honest mechanic is both an oxymoron and an apt description of Mr. Mees, his family said, as evidenced by the blank checks left under floor mats and immense trust placed in him by his loyal customers.

Despite all of his accomplishments, accolades and acknowledgments, Mr. Mees is best known to those who knew him best as the epitome of a family man. He carried on his soulmate Debbie’s undying love for their children since her death in 2007. Together, they raised three children, Ashley, Kate and John, and their legacy will endure through their six grandchildren, Lily, Caroline, Jack, Parker, Will and Nicolás, not to mention an extended family of friends and companions.

Mr. Mees’s selfless commitment to his children, grandchildren, friends and community have left an indelible imprint and will be felt for generations to come, his family said.

Family will receive friends at the R. J. O’Shea Funeral Home, 94 East Montauk Highway in Hampton Bays on Thursday, September 30, from 2-4 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. There will be a funeral Mass at St. Rosalie’s Church on Friday at 10:30 a.m., followed by a burial in Calverton National Cemetery.