Willard J. "Bill" Hanlon

Willard J. “Bill” Hanlon, 64, of Muncy, died Tuesday, November 26, 2019 in the emergency room at UPMC Susquehanna, Williamsport.

Born May 19, 1955 in Hamden, Conn., he was the son of the late James F. and Grace (Chamberlain) Hanlon. On Mar. 14, 1993, he married Margaret “Peggy” Tornabene, who survives. Together they celebrated 26 years of marriage.

Bill was a graduate of the former Christian Brothers Bellefontaine school, Mass., a private boys school. He received his master’s degree in education from Bloomsburg University. Earlier in life, Bill worked at the Art Institute of Chicago. Recently, he was a school teacher at Milton Area High School, where he taught a wide range of Humanities courses.

He was a member of the American Bookseller Assn., and enjoyed traveling to their conventions.  Bill loved reading and was fond of early American history, including the civil war.  He was also passionate about sharing his wealth of knowledge with his students, especially through historical field trips.

Surviving in addition to his wife are twin sons, Arthur (Abby) Tornabene-Zalas, of Brunswick, MD and Joseph Tornabene-Zalas, of Chicago, Ill.; a daughter, Beth Blazina, of Lock Haven; two sisters, Grace (Brian) Kirby, of Hamden, Conn. and Dorothy (Lou) Spada, of Old Saybrook, Conn.; and four grandchildren, Patrick Michael Empen, Maggie Blazina, Noah Joseph Tornabene and Jacob Ari Tornabene.

Friends will be received from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, at Grenoble’s, 121 S. Main St., Muncy, where a celebration of life will be held at 3 p.m. led by his family.

The family will provide the flowers and suggests memorial contributions in Bill’s name be made to the Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association, P.O. Box 4087, Gettysburg, PA 17325 or online at gbpa.org.