Bill Hayner was born on October 22, 1945 in Boston, Massachusetts to Evalyn and Harold Hayner.
Bill’s parents separated when he was four years old. At an early age he learned the value of a good education and a strong work ethic being raised by a single parent. His mother stressed the value of education by continuing her education while raising two children and working full time. He witnessed the discrimination of women in the work place, as his mother had to fight for every promotion. She also stressed values in church and service to others. Family was always at the core of his upbringing.
Bill was raised in Somerville, Brookline, Arlington and Lexington. He attended St. Agnes Grammar School and North Cambridge Catholic High School. College was not easy right after high school so in 1966 Bill joined the Air Force. Following basic training, Bill was stationed at Brooks AFB, San Antonio, Texas. During this time Bill volunteered as a basketball coach to a local youth group in San Antonio. Next he was stationed in Taiwan with a tour of duty at Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam in 1969. There he worked with Chinese children. These experiences convinced him to become a teacher, saying, “The reward of understanding in a child’s face is worth all the effort to get there.”
[Bonnie & Bill and family 50th Wedding Anniversary 7/19/2019]
Bill returned to Arlington on July 3, 1969 to marry Bonnie Lewis, also of Arlington, on July 19, 1969. Their honeymoon was traveling across the country to his next assignment at Williams Air Force Base in Chandler, AZ.
Bonnie and Bill moved back to Arlington, Massachusetts so that he could finish his bachelor's degree in 1972. Bill found the time to be a Little League coach with his father-in-law, Stan Lewis’s minor league team, The Splinters, and, with a friend, convinced the newly formed Sons of Italy to sponsor a new major league team the Sons of Italy.
Bill got a job teaching in 1972 in the public elementary schools in Groton (then Groton-Dunstable) where he taught for the next 28 years.
Bonnie and Bill moved to Pepperell, MA in 1973 where they lived and raised their two children, Jennifer and James. This was a time of total immersion into community activities. Bill and Bonnie are not observers but participants. They belonged to two different churches, St. Joseph’s and the Community Church. They both took active parts helping the other in church activities. Bill was a Cub Scout leader and a merit badge counselor with the Boy Scouts. He has gone to Philmont, NM twice with his son’s troop. The second time, James was an adult leader.
Bonnie was a Girl Scout leader from Brownies to Seniors. Bill continued his involvement with Little League and soccer long after his children left the programs. Bonnie is currently the C-Cordinator for Girl Scouts in Arlington.
Their daughter graduated from Syracuse University (BA) and Simmons University (MA), served two years in the Peace Corps and is a public school librarian. She has also been a Girl Scout leader for her daughter from Daisies to now Cadettes. She lives with her husband and two children in Maynard, MA.
Their son graduated from Roger Williams University. He has been both a chemist and a chemistry and physics teacher in public school systems. He has his Master’s degree in Chemistry from UMass-Lowell. He lives with his wife and their two children in Leominster, MA. 
His wife is a 1st Sergeant in the Air National Guard as well as working at Lincoln Labs in Bedford as a security specialist.
Bill and Bonnie returned to Arlington in 1994 to move into the house he lived in prior to going into the service. Bill went to law school during his last four years of teaching getting his JD in 2000.
Bill left formal teaching in 1999 but has never truly left it. He taught a graduate level course, Law for Educators, to superintendent and principal candidates. He has also substituted at the elementary level in order to stay current in the educational field.
Bill continues to share his passion for poetry by volunteering in elementary classes periodically, including those of his grandchildren. He also teaches Speaking Theater and Town Meeting procedures, culminating in Mock Town Meetings at the Town Hall.
Bill had promised Bonnie that he would not get involved in anything in Arlington for ten years after leading such an active and involved community life in Pepperell. They redirected their energy into helping with their children’s weddings, and helping with Bonnie’s parents and special needs sister. They are also helping their children since the grandchildren arrived.
Ten years, almost to the date of his promise, he took out papers to become a Town Meeting Member and has been a member since then. He has also volunteered for Habitat for Humanity in Belmont and volunteers at The Children's Room in Arlington and activities at St. Agnes Church. He joined Arlington Rotary in 2012 and has done the Annual Polar Plunge since 2013. He is also a member of the Arlington Veteran's Council.
Bonnie retired in 2008 and is a member (life-time deacon) of the Park Avenue Congregational Church, UCC and is the Arlington Girl Scout Co-Cordinator (has 50 year pin). She also does websites and database work for non-profits. Bonnie has been a Town Meeting member off and on since 2014. She is a poll worker for the town of Arlington.
They also serve as President and Secretary of the Association - Special Needs Activities and Programs (A-SNAP, Inc.).
Together they were fill-ins for Meals on Wheels and volunteers at the Habitat - Mass Audubon in Belmont.
In Alaska for 50th wedding anniversary and 2nd honeymoon.
