Bill Titus (1948-2024), the very first registrar employed by The Heckscher Museum of Art, and a long-time Town of Huntington employee, passed away recently.
During a 43-year tenure at the Museum he played an important role in the growth of the organization. He was originally hired in 1972 by Eva Gatling, the Museum’s iconic first professional Director. With her training, Titus became the Museum’s first registrar, responsible for the care and management of objects and documentation for the entire collection. Gatling is credited with molding Heckscher into a fully “professional” modern museum, and Titus became a vital part of that mission.
According to John Coraor, former Executive Director (1988 to 2000) and current board member, “As
registrar, Bill was responsible for creating the Museum’s initial database of all Collections objects. He used the same database software to also create a membership database to streamline the Museum’s membership & development process. Bill later played a crucial part in facilitating the transfer of information from old systems to new.” Titus was also instrumental in the creation of the Museum’s first website.
Beth Levinthal, Director of the Museum from 2000 to 2006, noted that Titus was “innovative and creative in solving installation issues, assuring every exhibition opened as scheduled.”
She shared: “Bill was fiercely protective of the precious works in his care, which were maintained for many years (until we moved them to an off-site location) in subterranean basement areas, which often flooded. On those occasions, Bill would bail out water through the night to preserve the integrity of the works. His thoughtful organization and care of the collection helped the museum achieve and maintain AAM Accreditation throughout the years.”
Museum friends and colleagues remember a reliable, supportive colleague with a quirky sense of humor. Titus retired in 2015. Since 2020, Titus was Deacon of Building & Grounds for the Stafford Baptist Church in Stafford, Va.
