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Bill Shene was the kind of man who quietly made a difference in the lives of others.
Whether as an educator, an inventor, a husband or a father, he did everything with the same commitment that he expected from his employees and with the same dedication that he instilled upon each of his children.
Although he died nearly three years ago, Shene's legacy lives on in both the inventions he developed to improve health-care services and in the memories of those who knew him as a friend, an associate and a loved one.
"Bill was a very outgoing individual, very much a people person," said Tim Howley, who worked with Shene when Shene was general manager for Monaghan Medical Supplies in Plattsburgh. "Not only did he run the facility, but he was also involved in research and development on new products.
"It's what he did best."
INVENTOR
Shene was responsible for about a dozen patents for medical equipment, including several that are still manufactured by Monaghan Medical and used worldwide in the health-care system's battle against asthma.
One product, the AeroVent Collapsible Holding Chamber, is used to provide more convenient delivery of aerosol medication for asthma patients, and another, the TruZone PFM, offers patients an accurate, simple-to-use and easy-to-read method for managing medicine levels.
Shene's passion for developing beneficial products for patients dated back well before he was involved in the asthma-manufacturing industry.
In 1972, he developed a kidney-stone disintegrator while working in a small office-laboratory on the corner of Beekman and Boynton streets for Northgate Research Company in Plattsburgh.
The equipment, which has since been replaced by updated technology, allowed physicians for the first time to remove kidney stones without surgery.
SENSE OF HUMOR
Though much of Shene's time on the job was spent in the lab, he always had time for his employees as well.
"He'd sit down with you and have a coffee in the break room," said Gordie Santor, who still works at Monaghan Medical. "Not only did he know everyone's name, but he also knew everyone's kids' names and would always ask about them.
"He had a really outstanding sense of humor," Santor also recalled.
Along with his ability to invent, Shene was a Naval aviator and worked for Boeing Corporation in Seattle, Wash., and for the NASA Apollo Space Program before returning home in the early 1970s to become a physics teacher at Beekmantown High School.
"He was a very upbeat person," said Dawn Reyell, who now works for Monaghan Medical but knew Shene as one of his students at Beekmantown.
"He related what you were learning in the classroom with the outside world. He made you feel comfortable in class. He was an outstanding teacher."
TIME FOR FAMILY
But as all this was going on in Shene's extremely busy life, the centerpiece of everything that he ever did was his family.
"Work had him traveling quite a bit, and he would often work late, but he always had time for family," said Michael Shene, the fourth of five children and youngest boy. "He was always there to help out with homework and would never miss any of our athletic events."
Shene never brought his work home and would always ask the kids about their day as the family sat at the dinner table for their nightly meal together.
"I was fortunate that my first job out of school was with Monaghan as a sales rep for them," Michael Shene said. "I didn't fully understand the reach of the stuff he developed until I got out into the business. He never really did talk about his work at home."
"He was never one to toot his horn," said Laurie Marvin, the oldest of two daughters.
"As an adult, I know he was one of the most intelligent and accomplished men I've ever known. But I didn't know that as a kid. He was my dad, and he was my hero: I thought he could walk on water."
Beloved Dad
Shene had a special relationship with each of his children and would offer each his support in any endeavor they were involved in, whether sports, music or their schooling.
"One of the things I remember the most is that he could fix anything," Marvin said. "It didn't matter what we brought to him. If it was broken, he knew exactly how to fix it, and it didn't take him any time at all."
Shene's wife, Virginia, and youngest daughter, Kelly, still live in Plattsburgh. Tragically, one son, Peter, died in 2001, but the family has stayed close through the years, and those who have moved away return home whenever they can.
It's their father's legacy, a reminder of what he meant to them, to the community and to the world.
E-mail Jeff Meyers at: jmeyers@pressrepublican.com
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