William “Bill” Healey, who founded the Viking Yacht Company in 1964, died Thursday, the company announced.

Healey, who had been hospitalized at Shore Medical Center in Somers Point, died from long-term complications of a stroke. He was 97.

Healey, of Cape May and Mays Landing, founded Viking with his late brother, Robert. Together, they built a boat-manufacturing empire in ithe New Gretna section of Bass River Township.

Bill Healey was known for his ability to relate and get to know everyone who worked at the factory, including hundreds of carpenters, electricians, mechanics and designers, the company said.

“Healey was intense and feisty, but beneath that drive was a soft heart and a deep bond with others,” the company wrote. “He valued his team with unbounded enthusiasm and commitment

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