William “Bill” Leavitt Varney
January 7, 1941-October 11, 2024
Bangor, Pembroke and Ocala Florida
Bill Varney died peacefully at home, October 11, 2024, at the age of 83 with his loving wife at his side.
Bill was born January 7, 1941 in Danforth, the son of Fred and Eloise Varney. He lived in Pembroke for his first 5 years with his mother and grandparents while his father served in World War II. Spending much time with his grandfather helping him train and race his horse at the Pembroke race track, planting the seeds for his love of harness racing.
Upon his father’s return from the war, they moved to Bangor.
As a small boy Bill was known for his tenacious spirit, initiative and keen intellect. He was never afraid of hard work, nor taking risk to further push whatever business endeavor he was in to deliver the best customer service possible. Throughout his career he exemplified a true entrepreneurial spirit.
Bill is known for his uncompromising work ethic throughout the community and by organizations he has been involved with, always striving for excellence. These qualities began at a very early age working at his father Fred’s neighborhood service station on State Street in Bangor. After school and sports practice and on weekends he would be found pumping gas, repairing cars with his father, doing whatever chores were needed. This is where Bill began understanding the essence of delivering great customer service beyond expectations. And it grew exponentially from there.
In February of 1958, at the tender age of 17, Bill married his high school sweetheart Brenda McNamara and they started their family. Bill was one of Bangor High Schools basketball stars and Brenda was a Bangor High School cheerleader. For 68 years she has remained his number one cheerleader. Back in that day, many said they would never make it. It was a difficult way to start, but it only increased their drive, to dig deep and prove otherwise. They did just that, celebrating their 66th anniversary this year.
While Brenda remained home raising their 2 sons, Tim and Rick, Bill finished his senior year of high school and began to build his career starting work at Eastern Auto Parts. After work he would take orders for service stations in the remote areas Downeast Maine, delivering auto parts out of the trunk of his car. Soon afterward, Brenda’s parents passed away and they took in her 10 year old brother, Michael McNamara, and raised him with their boys.
In 1960, Bill opened his own auto parts business, Varney Auto Supply, out of a small 3 story store front on 236 Hancock St. Due to urban renewal, they were forced to move to 1205 Broadway in 1976, and as one to always turn a change into an opportunity, Bill made this location the first retail automotive parts store in the area, open 7 days a week, nights and weekend. Until the state’s blue laws changed, Sundays were exclusively staffed by Bill, Brenda and the 3 boys. This launched the growth where Bill eventually opened 13 locations statewide before selling to a national chain in 1997. Varney Insurance began in 1980 in a tiny office of the auto supply store with 3 employees, leading to 18 insurance agencies in Maine, New York, New Jersey. During this time Bill began the family’s car dealerships, first in Machias and Bangor and ultimately the current footprint from Bangor, Newport and Pittsfield, selling GMC, Buick, Mazda, Ford and Chevrolet. His latest business adventure was Premium Choice Broadband bringing fiber internet to over 5,000 households in rural Maine, where Bill worked fulltime up until the day he died.
Bill was a proud member of the Anah Shriners and Mounted Patrol for most of his adult life. Other passions and businesses of Bill’s were commercial real estate, owning and developing many properties over the years in the greater Bangor area, True Value Hardware store franchisee, wholesale flower business, operating an awards signs and trophies business, wholesale seafood, business consulting, member of the Maine State Lottery Commission and Commissioner of the Maine State Harness Racing Commission as a result of his heavy involvement and years of service to the harness racing industry in the United States and Canada.
Bill also loved being a pilot where he could efficiently travel for work while also satisfying his risk-taking nature. Over his life he made many trips around the eastern seaboard from Florida to Newfoundland and many places in between. In his younger years he loved hunting and fishing with dear friends and family.
In later years he was passionately involved with harness racing and sire stakes breeding where his horses carried the “Pembroke” moniker as an acknowledgement to his childhood roots caring for and racing horses with his grandfather. He bred hundreds of horses leaving a permanent mark in the standardbred industry. He kept great care of his horses, even after they were unable to race anymore, making sure they were well treated their entire life.
Bill was an avid reader, constantly studying business books, biographies of successful leaders and standardbred horse breeding. People honored Bill for his business acumen and generosity and he was known to always have an open door to anyone needing help with business issues or career advice. He loved strategizing, problem solving, helping others not make the same mistakes he had and search for the best possible outcome for any situation.
Most importantly, Bill loved his family deeply. If he promised something, he kept his word. He was a concerned, caring grandfather and great grandfather. Never intruding, but always there when needed or when asked. He sacrificed a lot to make sure that his kids and future generations had an opportunity to be better off than he was no matter what the expense was to him. He will be greatly missed and forever honored. His life was a testament to treating people well, working hard and never giving up regardless of odds being stacked against you.
He is predeceased by his brother James Varney. Bill is survived by his loving wife, Brenda; son, Tim of Florida and Maine; daughter in law, Lori Varney of Bangor; son, Rick and his wife, Jane of Bangor; grandchildren, Nicholas Varney and his wife Samantha, Whittney Miller and her husband Matt, Michael Varney and his wife Sarah and Emmaline Varney and her husband Peter; His sister Judy Porter of Millinocket; as well as eight great grandchildren, many nieces and nephews. Bill is going to be enormously missed also by his 3 dogs Annie, Lucy and Archie.
The family invites relatives and friends to share in conversation and light refreshments at Anah Shriners, 1404 Broadway, Bangor from 4-7pm Tuesday October 22, 2024.
A private burial service will be held for the family
In lieu of flowers those who wish to remember Bill in a special way may make donations in his memory to:
American Kidney Fund, give.kidneyfund.org
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of William Varney, please visit our flower store.
January 7, 1941-October 11, 2024
Bangor, Pembroke and Ocala Florida
Bill Varney died peacefully at home, October 11, 2024, at the age of 83 with his loving wife at his side.
Bill was born January 7, 1941 in Danforth, the son of Fred and Eloise Varney. He lived in Pembroke for his first 5 years with his mother and grandparents while his father served in World War II. Spending much time with his grandfather helping him train and race his horse at the Pembroke race track, planting the seeds for his love of harness racing.
Upon his father’s return from the war, they moved to Bangor.
As a small boy Bill was known for his tenacious spirit, initiative and keen intellect. He was never afraid of hard work, nor taking risk to further push whatever business endeavor he was in to deliver the best customer service possible. Throughout his career he exemplified a true entrepreneurial spirit.
Bill is known for his uncompromising work ethic throughout the community and by organizations he has been involved with, always striving for excellence. These qualities began at a very early age working at his father Fred’s neighborhood service station on State Street in Bangor. After school and sports practice and on weekends he would be found pumping gas, repairing cars with his father, doing whatever chores were needed. This is where Bill began understanding the essence of delivering great customer service beyond expectations. And it grew exponentially from there.
In February of 1958, at the tender age of 17, Bill married his high school sweetheart Brenda McNamara and they started their family. Bill was one of Bangor High Schools basketball stars and Brenda was a Bangor High School cheerleader. For 68 years she has remained his number one cheerleader. Back in that day, many said they would never make it. It was a difficult way to start, but it only increased their drive, to dig deep and prove otherwise. They did just that, celebrating their 66th anniversary this year.
While Brenda remained home raising their 2 sons, Tim and Rick, Bill finished his senior year of high school and began to build his career starting work at Eastern Auto Parts. After work he would take orders for service stations in the remote areas Downeast Maine, delivering auto parts out of the trunk of his car. Soon afterward, Brenda’s parents passed away and they took in her 10 year old brother, Michael McNamara, and raised him with their boys.
In 1960, Bill opened his own auto parts business, Varney Auto Supply, out of a small 3 story store front on 236 Hancock St. Due to urban renewal, they were forced to move to 1205 Broadway in 1976, and as one to always turn a change into an opportunity, Bill made this location the first retail automotive parts store in the area, open 7 days a week, nights and weekend. Until the state’s blue laws changed, Sundays were exclusively staffed by Bill, Brenda and the 3 boys. This launched the growth where Bill eventually opened 13 locations statewide before selling to a national chain in 1997. Varney Insurance began in 1980 in a tiny office of the auto supply store with 3 employees, leading to 18 insurance agencies in Maine, New York, New Jersey. During this time Bill began the family’s car dealerships, first in Machias and Bangor and ultimately the current footprint from Bangor, Newport and Pittsfield, selling GMC, Buick, Mazda, Ford and Chevrolet. His latest business adventure was Premium Choice Broadband bringing fiber internet to over 5,000 households in rural Maine, where Bill worked fulltime up until the day he died.
Bill was a proud member of the Anah Shriners and Mounted Patrol for most of his adult life. Other passions and businesses of Bill’s were commercial real estate, owning and developing many properties over the years in the greater Bangor area, True Value Hardware store franchisee, wholesale flower business, operating an awards signs and trophies business, wholesale seafood, business consulting, member of the Maine State Lottery Commission and Commissioner of the Maine State Harness Racing Commission as a result of his heavy involvement and years of service to the harness racing industry in the United States and Canada.
Bill also loved being a pilot where he could efficiently travel for work while also satisfying his risk-taking nature. Over his life he made many trips around the eastern seaboard from Florida to Newfoundland and many places in between. In his younger years he loved hunting and fishing with dear friends and family.
In later years he was passionately involved with harness racing and sire stakes breeding where his horses carried the “Pembroke” moniker as an acknowledgement to his childhood roots caring for and racing horses with his grandfather. He bred hundreds of horses leaving a permanent mark in the standardbred industry. He kept great care of his horses, even after they were unable to race anymore, making sure they were well treated their entire life.
Bill was an avid reader, constantly studying business books, biographies of successful leaders and standardbred horse breeding. People honored Bill for his business acumen and generosity and he was known to always have an open door to anyone needing help with business issues or career advice. He loved strategizing, problem solving, helping others not make the same mistakes he had and search for the best possible outcome for any situation.
Most importantly, Bill loved his family deeply. If he promised something, he kept his word. He was a concerned, caring grandfather and great grandfather. Never intruding, but always there when needed or when asked. He sacrificed a lot to make sure that his kids and future generations had an opportunity to be better off than he was no matter what the expense was to him. He will be greatly missed and forever honored. His life was a testament to treating people well, working hard and never giving up regardless of odds being stacked against you.
He is predeceased by his brother James Varney. Bill is survived by his loving wife, Brenda; son, Tim of Florida and Maine; daughter in law, Lori Varney of Bangor; son, Rick and his wife, Jane of Bangor; grandchildren, Nicholas Varney and his wife Samantha, Whittney Miller and her husband Matt, Michael Varney and his wife Sarah and Emmaline Varney and her husband Peter; His sister Judy Porter of Millinocket; as well as eight great grandchildren, many nieces and nephews. Bill is going to be enormously missed also by his 3 dogs Annie, Lucy and Archie.
The family invites relatives and friends to share in conversation and light refreshments at Anah Shriners, 1404 Broadway, Bangor from 4-7pm Tuesday October 22, 2024.
A private burial service will be held for the family
In lieu of flowers those who wish to remember Bill in a special way may make donations in his memory to:
American Kidney Fund, give.kidneyfund.org
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