William W. Pinney Jr. of Sugar Hill, N.H., and South Dartmouth died peacefully on Wednesday, Nov. 4, surrounded by his loving family.

Born on Staten Island, N.Y. on March 24, 1921, the son of William W. (Peter) Pinney Sr. and Margaret Mackenzie Gostenhofer Pinney of Edgartown, he is predeceased by his first wife, Louise Slocum Quimby, and a sister, Olive Pinney Tilghman.

He was a graduate of Kent School in Kent, Conn.; Harvard College, with a degree in engineering science; and Trinity College in Hartford, Conn. with a master’s degree in psychology.

During World War II he was employed at the Brooklyn Navy yard installing the first radar systems on naval vessels. After the war he worked for the Bendix Corp. for a short time and then moved to Edgartown with his family to join his father in establishing the Cooperative Dairy, for which he served as the business manager. They summered at the family home on Chappaquiddick where he operated a chicken farm. Recognizing a need on the Island for veterinary expertise in handling the larger livestock, he took it upon himself to attend Cornell University to become a veterinary assistant in order to better serve the Island farmers.

In 1951 he and his family moved to Litchfield, Conn., where he was employed as an engineer at Chase Brass and Copper of Waterbury and in 1962 became vice president and part owner of Mattatuck Manufacturing Co. While in Litchfield he was deeply involved in the community, serving in the local church, as chairman of the school board, as chairman of the Republican Committee for Litchfield County, and founding the local land trust. He also taught business management at both Columbia University and Connecticut University and began a tenure as a trustee of Becker College in Worcester, which he continued until 2002.

Sailing and spending time on the ocean was always a great joy to him. In 1969, he made this joy a career when he moved to South Dartmouth and purchased the Concordia Boat Company along with Beetle Boat Company. Later he added Manchester Sails and The Packet gift shop as parts of the Concordia business. He was able to use his extensive business experience and knowledge of boats to help the companies thrive. This expertise was also invaluable to Marshall Marine Corporation of South Dartmouth, of which he became a part owner.

Bill had many passions and interests throughout his life. First and foremost among these was his love for the natural environment and all things living. Any free time was spent outdoors studying the world around him and he loved sharing his knowledge of the natural world with others, especially children. He was instrumental in guiding the Lloyd Center for Environmental Studies and the Dartmouth Children’s Museum for many years and volunteered his time as a Big Brother to give less privileged children an opportunity to experience the world around them.

In the early 1970s Bill recognized the need to preserve much of the natural beauty in Dartmouth for future generations to enjoy. Drawing from previous land preservation work, he was the driving force and one of the initial founders of the Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust. He was always very modest regarding this accomplishment yet the thousands of people who enjoy the unspoiled trails through the woods and marshes are truly grateful for his foresight and commitment.

In 1977, Bill married Sarah Marshall and was devoted to her for the next 38 years. Together, they rebuilt houses, managed a business, raised children, danced, created and maintained beautiful gardens and travelled extensively. Their explorations always involved educating themselves about the different cultures and environments throughout the world. Whether it was witnessing the stark beauty of the Antarctic, the Northwest Territories, and the Baffin Islands or the teeming flora and fauna of the Galapagos Islands and Africa, they were both enthralled with gathering as much information as possible about the people and wildlife during each adventure.

Bill was also an avid bird watcher. As an active member of the Paskamansett Bird Club, he had an impressive list of birds he had spied over the years, both locally and around the globe. He was also an accomplished tennis player, a graceful cross country skier and a member of the New Bedford Yacht Club.

He was an avid reader and loved a good debate. He would often take a contrary position on a topic whether he agreed with it or not just to challenge other people to consider all sides of an argument. Regardless of the ages of the other people in the conversation, he was always interested in the different opinions. He was a firm believer in quality education at all levels and served as a trustee at Friends Academy for a number of years.

In 1984, he and Sarah purchased a home in Sugar Hill, N.H., where they spent every winter since. Like every other town he lived in, he became very involved in the local community. This included assisting the local land trust, serving as chairman of the planning board and as town auditor for 25 years. He was also moderator of the local church and an active member of the Winter Club.

As an undergraduate, Bill entered into the Harvard Grant Study on Aging, which he actively participated in until his final days. The study tracks the physical, psychological and sociological development of a group of men throughout their life. He gave numerous interviews with the researchers over the last 70 years and always looked forward to discussing the findings with the research team.

Throughout his life, Bill’s commitment to give his time and knowledge to serve his family, friends and community was always a priority. This included offering sound business advice when needed and providing valuable life lessons to his grandchildren. Time spent with them was a particular treasure to him. In recent years he was extremely content to sit on the patio looking over the river, watching the birds come and go and occasionally taking a walk in the woods.

He leaves his wife, Sarah H.M. Pinney; a daughter, Margaret Nelson Pinney of Nevis and Vineyard Haven; a son, William Austin Pinney and his wife, Raquel de Souza Pinney, of Miami, Fla. and Chappaquiddick; and three stepsons, Breck Marshall and his wife Martha Aguilar Marshall of Westport, Geoffrey Marshall and his wife Kristen Lindblom Marshall of South Dartmouth, and David Harris Marshall of Swansea. He will also be missed by his grandchildren William Alexander Weathers and his wife Lori of Santa Barbara, Calif., Andrew Strider Pinney of Brookline, Megan Alexia Marshall and Dylan Harris Marshall of South Dartmouth, and Breck Marshall and Iliana Sarah Marshall of Westport. He has two great-grand children, Gabriella Nicole Weathers and Cameron Christine Weathers, plus several nieces and nephews.

Visiting hours will be at the Waring Sullivan Home of Memorial Tribute at Dartmouth, 230 Russells Mills Road in South Dartmouth, on Wednesday, Nov. 11 from 5 to 8 p.m. There will be a memorial service and reception in August.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to the Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust, dnrt.org.