Robert W. Hettiger of East Hampton, an Army veteran and prolific wildlife and combat artist, died of complications from an arterial stent placement at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital on Feb. 16. He was 73.
In the Army, Mr. Hettiger served in Vietnam for a year beginning in May of 1969 as a specialist and combat artist with the 26th Infantry Regiment of the First Infantry Division. After he was discharged with the rank of E-4 specialist, he joined several military organizations, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 550 in East Hampton, Vietnam Veterans of America, the 26th Infantry Regiment Association, the Society of the First Infantry Division, and the 170th Assault Helicopter Company.
He was born at Southampton Hospital on April 15, 1948, to Robert W. Hettiger and the former Josephine Fredericks. He graduated from East Hampton High School and spent one year studying at the Cleveland Institute of Art on a scholarship.
From an early age, Mr. Hettiger knew he wanted to paint African wildlife, and he saved up for three years to take a trip to Kenya. He also received a grant to travel to Trinidad to study birds in 1976. He was a member of the African Wildlife Foundation.
As an artist, his work appeared in shows at Guild Hall. He assembled traveling exhibitions for schools, donated many of his combat paintings to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Gallery in Albany, and illustrated and designed logos for various military publications and yearbooks. In 1978, Mr. Hettiger won the Long Island Duck Stamp Contest.
His career with East Hampton Town included maintenance positions with the Parks Department and the airport. He retired in 2010.
Mr. Hettiger was cremated. His ashes will be scattered in the Accabonac waters and the rest buried at Calverton National Cemetery. He leaves a brother, Carl A. Hettiger of East Hampton, to whom memorial contributions can be sent toward his brother’s final expenses. The address is 52 Muir Boulevard.
