Bill Moffett

January 11, 1933 - February 24, 2023

A life-long pilot, took his final flight at age 90 years. He is survived by his beloved wife, Donna, their three children, Brad, Sandy, and Julie; six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Born in Los Angeles to Frances and William Moffett, Bill was an adventurous child who loved fishing, hiking, baseball, and airplanes. Bill attended Stanford University, graduating with a bachelor's degree in history. At Stanford, Bill found the three great loves of his life, Donna, golf, and flying. Donna was a student at Stanford and they married in 1953, celebrating their 69th wedding anniversary this past year. Bill played first base (and occasionally catcher) on the Stanford varsity baseball team for three years and was good enough to be drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 38th round. But he wasn't good enough to make a living at it and joined Air Force ROTC. While a ROTC cadet he decided he wanted to try flying when he graduated. At the same time, he learned to play golf from a fraternity friend.

Bill commissioned into the Air Force in 1954 as a second lieutenant and attended pilot training at Spence Air Base in Moultrie, Georgia. In total, Bill flew 20 different military aircraft, logging more than 7,500 flying hours, including 862 combat hours. He was a decorated Vietnam veteran and was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross, eight air medals, a Legion of Merit, four Meritorious Service Medals and multiple other awards. Following retirement from the Air Force, Bill worked for two years at United Airlines, then retired again, this time to play golf as often as possible and custom build golf clubs in his own workshop attached to the house. His 'retirement' also included flying for the Civil Air Patrol, and he achieved the coveted Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award for 50 years of flying.

Bill shared season tickets to watch his beloved Diamondbacks, cheered on the Arizona Coyotes hockey team, and enjoyed frequent visits from his children and grandchildren. He had a special fondness for lemon meringue pie, Tom Thumb cookie bars, a perfectly cooked steak and Popeye's chicken. He loved hugs and gave the best ones, too. He did the crossword puzzle every morning with Donna, chortled at puns, and taught every single grandchild how to drive in his golf cart. He could play the piano and organ quite well, loved to tell stories about his many incredible life adventures and was a voracious reader. He was the best husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend to all, and he will be missed terribly.

Dignity Memorial, February 2023

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Veteran Story

US Air Force
1954 - 1984
Colonel

AF Pilot training, Instrument Instructor training, Academic Instructor training, Squadron Officer School, Air Command & Staff School, Air War College, Counter Insurgency training, Survival Schools (arctic, water, jungle, basic), Weapons Controller

Legions of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 7 Oak Leaf Clusters, Meritorious Service Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, AF Commendation Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, Expert Marksman, National Defense Service (400 combat sorties totalling 861 combat flying hours)

Duties:  Pilot of 17 types of aircraft, Standardization Chief, Squadron Operation Officer, Squadron Commander, Wing Dep Commander for Resources, WG Dep Commander for Operations, WG Vice Commander, Air Force Tanker Air Refueling Manager (Total flying hours = 7525)

Stationed:  Reese AFB, Lubbock, Texas, Mather AFB, Sacramento, California, Dew Line in Alaska, Ft Fisher, North Carolina, Tyndall AFB, Panama City, Florida, NHA Trang, Vietnam, Loring AFB, Maine, Rickenbacker AFB, Ohio, Kadena AFB, Okinawa, Japan, Offutt AFB, Nebraska

Many Memories - but most memorable was flying an old C-47 Transport from Miami, Florida across the Pacific to Vietnam via Hawaii, Midway, Wake Island, Guam, Philippines, then into Vietnam.  That is a big ocean traveling at 130 mph.