William D. Norton, 80, died peacefully on Sept. 7 at his home in Oak Bluffs.

An 11th generation Islander, Billy Norton was born on Oct. 5, 1928, to Ike and Dorothy (Vincent) Norton. He lived on the Vineyard throughout his life and had a true love and appreciation of the Island and all its abundances. He lived life with passion.

Billy was the only boy in his graduating class from the Oak Bluffs High School. After a brief stint at the Oak Bluffs post office where his stepfather was postmaster, Billy returned to Amaral Brothers Plumbing and Heating where he had been serving as an apprentice since the age of 14. He went on to start his own plumbing and heating business in 1972 as a licensed, master plumber.

He married Elizabeth Sylvia on Sept. 9, 1950. They lived in Oak Bluffs with their four children, first on Circuit avenue and then on Shawanue avenue, near the Lagoon. Billy enjoyed his Shawanue avenue property. It provided space for his lush garden, fruit trees, chicken coop, dog pens, barn and corral, fishing and hunting gear, woodworking station, tractor, Volkswagen repair area, shop, and, of course, custom-built fly-tying bench. He had a little house filled with the love of family, friends and adventure.

Billy had a strong sense of civic responsibility and devoted 50 years to the Oak Bluffs fire department, serving as assistant chief as well as president of the firemen’s civic association for two terms. He was a water commissioner and a member of the building committee for the Wing Road Fire Station.

Billy converted to Catholicism and dedicated his time to the church’s works. He was a member of the Holy Name and St. Vincent de Paul Societies. He served on the Sacred Heart Cemetery committee. He was the recipient of the Marian Medal, an award that recognizes a member of a diocesan parish for outstanding devotion and service.

He had many interests involving the outdoors. He spent years hunting with his dogs — English setters, beagles and golden retrievers. He was an experienced shellfisherman, always ensuring he had something on hand when visitors arrived. His love of fishing included salt and fresh water and extended from handmade surf casting rods and jigs to fly-tying for the catch-and-release method he faithfully practiced. He had the opportunity to test his considerable skills in a variety of venues ranging from Alaska to Belize. He particularly enjoyed traveling with his sons, Ralph and Tim.

Indoors, Billy also was a jack of all trades. He literally could fix anything. And he made things. He carved simple and beautiful duck decoys from cedar. He often gave them to charities for auction or raffle. He was a boat builder too — rowboat, catboat (his had an engine), or sailboat, Billy could build it.

Billy had a life-changing event in 1985 when he had a life-threatening heart attack. He proceeded to change his diet, stopped smoking, enrolled in a cardiac rehabilitation program, and walked almost every day. He went on to enjoy 20-plus years of good health. He made many treasured friends along the way and enjoyed “rehabbing” at the hospital and coffee afterward.

He faced both wonderful and difficult times in his life. He enjoyed so many things in life and he enjoyed them so much. Among adversity, he endured the heartbreaking loss of his granddaughter, Alexandra, in infancy, and the death of his beloved son, Timothy, at 45 after a valiant battle with cancer. Billy maintained his faith and positive outlook even after these tragedies.

He is survived by his wife, Betty, and three children, Deborah and her husband John, Ralph and his wife Susan, and Dawn and her husband, Bob; Timothy’s widow Sherry; eight grandchildren; and his sisters, Faye and Norma and her husband Skip.

A memorial mass will be celebrated on Monday, Sept. 21, at 10:30 a.m. in Our Lady Star of the Sea Church in Oak Bluffs followed by interment of his cremated remains in the Sacred Heart Cemetery in Oak Bluffs. Family and friends will gather after services at the Farm Neck Golf Club Café in Oak Bluffs.

Donations may be made in Mr. Norton’s memory to Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard, P.O. Box 2549, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557 or to the Oak Bluffs Fire Department Museum; please make checks payable to the Town of Oak Bluffs and note “Fire Department Restoration Fund”, c/o D.R. Billings, P.O. Box 143, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557.

Arrangements are under the care of Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home in Oak Bluffs.