William ‘Willie’ Hernandez, 51, of Sanger, lead technical supervisor of fire safety in UNT Facilities, died July 17. He had worked at UNT since 1993. In 2006, after serving in several different shops in Facilities, he joined Fire Systems, which was then UNT Risk Management Fire and Safety. He began as an entry-level fire alarm technician and soon began maintaining and inspecting the fire sprinkler systems and kitchen hood systems. Those became his primary focus as the campus grew. In his 31 years at UNT, he worked in every building on campus and interacted with many staff and faculty members. He’ll be remembered for his easy-going attitude and his humor — always trying to put a smile on someone’s face — as well as his dedication to his work. He was known for being willing to pitch in whenever he was needed to ensure the fire systems were functional and the campus was safe. He was a native of Louisiana and enjoyed traveling, hunting and also spending time with his family and friends. He and his wife, Melissa, celebrated their 20th anniversary in June, and their family includes five children and several grandchildren. Visitation is scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. July 25 at Bill DeBerry Funeral Directors, 2025 W. University Dr. in Denton. The funeral will take place there at 11 a.m. July 26, followed by a celebration of life at the Sanger Community Center.