Bill was born and raised amidst the orange, lemon and avocado groves of Orange County, along with sisters Betty and Mary and brother Jim. His parents provided a stable and loving home life.
He graduated Anaheim Union High School in 1939 where he was co-captain and starting center on the football team. After two years at Fullerton Junior College, he attended the University of Southern California, where he received his degree with honors in Chemical Engineering in 1943. He was a member of the Tau Beta Pi engineering honorary society, and played trombone in the U.S.C. Marching Band.
Bill served in United States Army Air Force beginning in January 1943, when he entered cadet training. Commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in August 1943, he performed duties as an Engineering Officer on bases used for heavy bomber training (B-24 and B-29), primarily at Davis-Monthan Field in Tucson. He was promoted 1st Lt. 6 June 1944, and Captain 16 January 1946. He was discharged from active duty in February 1946, and re-entered the University of Southern California, where he obtained a Masters degree in Chemical Engineering in 1947.
Bill married Grace Kathryn "Kathy" Jacobsen on 19 May 1944, in Tucson. He was father to six children born between 1945 and 1962, none of whom showed much aptitude in engineering, to his lasting but good-natured chagrin.
He worked a 45-year career in chemical engineering, construction management, and related fields, in California, Virginia, and in Europe. He was instrumental in planning and implementing an air quality program for the Los Angeles Basin, the nation's first such program. Later, he traveled throughout the world as a project engineer with Fluor Corporation. At his death, he was a leading expert on cogeneration systems involving electric utility companies as a method of pollution prevention.
During his later career, and after his retirement, Bill and Kathy spent a number of years living in France and the Netherlands, time which he enjoyed tremendously. He was an enthusiastic if inexpert speaker of French and German, which did not dampen his pleasure in living abroad.
He died surrounded by his family, all of whom mourned his passing, as did a wide circle of personal friends and professional colleagues. He is greatly missed.
He graduated Anaheim Union High School in 1939 where he was co-captain and starting center on the football team. After two years at Fullerton Junior College, he attended the University of Southern California, where he received his degree with honors in Chemical Engineering in 1943. He was a member of the Tau Beta Pi engineering honorary society, and played trombone in the U.S.C. Marching Band.
Bill served in United States Army Air Force beginning in January 1943, when he entered cadet training. Commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in August 1943, he performed duties as an Engineering Officer on bases used for heavy bomber training (B-24 and B-29), primarily at Davis-Monthan Field in Tucson. He was promoted 1st Lt. 6 June 1944, and Captain 16 January 1946. He was discharged from active duty in February 1946, and re-entered the University of Southern California, where he obtained a Masters degree in Chemical Engineering in 1947.
Bill married Grace Kathryn "Kathy" Jacobsen on 19 May 1944, in Tucson. He was father to six children born between 1945 and 1962, none of whom showed much aptitude in engineering, to his lasting but good-natured chagrin.
He worked a 45-year career in chemical engineering, construction management, and related fields, in California, Virginia, and in Europe. He was instrumental in planning and implementing an air quality program for the Los Angeles Basin, the nation's first such program. Later, he traveled throughout the world as a project engineer with Fluor Corporation. At his death, he was a leading expert on cogeneration systems involving electric utility companies as a method of pollution prevention.
During his later career, and after his retirement, Bill and Kathy spent a number of years living in France and the Netherlands, time which he enjoyed tremendously. He was an enthusiastic if inexpert speaker of French and German, which did not dampen his pleasure in living abroad.
He died surrounded by his family, all of whom mourned his passing, as did a wide circle of personal friends and professional colleagues. He is greatly missed.
Bill was born and raised amidst the orange, lemon and avocado groves of Orange County, along with sisters Betty and Mary and brother Jim. His parents provided a stable and loving home life.
He graduated Anaheim Union High School in 1939 where he was co-captain and starting center on the football team. After two years at Fullerton Junior College, he attended the University of Southern California, where he received his degree with honors in Chemical Engineering in 1943. He was a member of the Tau Beta Pi engineering honorary society, and played trombone in the U.S.C. Marching Band.
Bill served in United States Army Air Force beginning in January 1943, when he entered cadet training. Commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in August 1943, he performed duties as an Engineering Officer on bases used for heavy bomber training (B-24 and B-29), primarily at Davis-Monthan Field in Tucson. He was promoted 1st Lt. 6 June 1944, and Captain 16 January 1946. He was discharged from active duty in February 1946, and re-entered the University of Southern California, where he obtained a Masters degree in Chemical Engineering in 1947.
Bill married Grace Kathryn "Kathy" Jacobsen on 19 May 1944, in Tucson. He was father to six children born between 1945 and 1962, none of whom showed much aptitude in engineering, to his lasting but good-natured chagrin.
He worked a 45-year career in chemical engineering, construction management, and related fields, in California, Virginia, and in Europe. He was instrumental in planning and implementing an air quality program for the Los Angeles Basin, the nation's first such program. Later, he traveled throughout the world as a project engineer with Fluor Corporation. At his death, he was a leading expert on cogeneration systems involving electric utility companies as a method of pollution prevention.
During his later career, and after his retirement, Bill and Kathy spent a number of years living in France and the Netherlands, time which he enjoyed tremendously. He was an enthusiastic if inexpert speaker of French and German, which did not dampen his pleasure in living abroad.
He died surrounded by his family, all of whom mourned his passing, as did a wide circle of personal friends and professional colleagues. He is greatly missed.
He graduated Anaheim Union High School in 1939 where he was co-captain and starting center on the football team. After two years at Fullerton Junior College, he attended the University of Southern California, where he received his degree with honors in Chemical Engineering in 1943. He was a member of the Tau Beta Pi engineering honorary society, and played trombone in the U.S.C. Marching Band.
Bill served in United States Army Air Force beginning in January 1943, when he entered cadet training. Commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in August 1943, he performed duties as an Engineering Officer on bases used for heavy bomber training (B-24 and B-29), primarily at Davis-Monthan Field in Tucson. He was promoted 1st Lt. 6 June 1944, and Captain 16 January 1946. He was discharged from active duty in February 1946, and re-entered the University of Southern California, where he obtained a Masters degree in Chemical Engineering in 1947.
Bill married Grace Kathryn "Kathy" Jacobsen on 19 May 1944, in Tucson. He was father to six children born between 1945 and 1962, none of whom showed much aptitude in engineering, to his lasting but good-natured chagrin.
He worked a 45-year career in chemical engineering, construction management, and related fields, in California, Virginia, and in Europe. He was instrumental in planning and implementing an air quality program for the Los Angeles Basin, the nation's first such program. Later, he traveled throughout the world as a project engineer with Fluor Corporation. At his death, he was a leading expert on cogeneration systems involving electric utility companies as a method of pollution prevention.
During his later career, and after his retirement, Bill and Kathy spent a number of years living in France and the Netherlands, time which he enjoyed tremendously. He was an enthusiastic if inexpert speaker of French and German, which did not dampen his pleasure in living abroad.
He died surrounded by his family, all of whom mourned his passing, as did a wide circle of personal friends and professional colleagues. He is greatly missed.
