I once had a friend named Bill. I trusted him with my life.
Although I can’t be certain, I’m pretty sure that I was first introduced to Bill at Oshgosh. I had known him for several years before we actually, well, go to know each other.
We had talked about him flying some for my team and we ended up in a training session in upstate NY in March. There was still snow on the ground. He had no issue telling me that he thought I was crazy.
Once I had arrived, I found home in a hangar and was putting the AC together when Bill showed up on his Harley, decked out in full leathers and sporting his rad stash. He dismounted his ride like a rodeo pro and sauntered into the hangar, cool as hell. At this point, I made a comment about his assless chaps matching his rainbow coloured flight helmet. He threw his helmet at me with lethal intent. I knew then that we would be great friends.
Every subsequent time that we were together, I learned a little more about Bill. He was an absolute treasure trove of delightfully conflicting qualities. He was most known for being as saccharine sweet as a lollipop wrapped in cotton candy. He was generous with his time and knowledge. He was also like the Hulk on a bad meth trip when he got mad.
We were once at a show together when the FAA threatened to ground him for want of a current inspection date on an emergency parachute. His exchange with the representative got pretty vocal. After a moment, he walked over to me and asked if he could borrow my parachute. While explaining himself, he informed me that he had picked out the perfect spot on the fat f**ks chin were he was going to land his fist……and watch him crumble like a f**king house of cards. This last part was yelled as Bill towered over me, body rigid, fists clenched and near trembling with rage. Because I liked him, I lent him my pack…but not before laughing at him a bit by explaining to the FAA rep that he suffered from a protein deficiency.
Bill was an incredibly shy person….always understated until he decided otherwise. Once that toggle flipped over, he was a wild card with a distinctly warped sense of humour, one that I could appreciate.
Bill loved warbirds. He loved history, moreover, he loved living it through flight. His passion in this was surpassed only by his passion of family. He had an extensive library, was a speed reader and probably more intelligent than I would care to know. Bill was a man who toiled and laboured in the dirt so that he could fly in the sky. After the toggle switched, he would have a drink with you and you knew that it was going to be a Jack and coke.
He was the guy that would say no to me…more than once. Whenever I would call with a harebrained scheme, he was the one who would text me the simple response of “not a good idea”. He never had much to say but what he did say was always worth severe consideration.
He liked my truck. He liked my driving and he liked my airplane. This alone would have earned him a place in my heart but it went so far beyond that. He made time for my friends. He made time for my family and I watched him reach out to those in need, in our aviation family, time and time again. He was my go to guy. He was everyone’s go to guy. When you needed maintenance, when you needed advice, when you needed a pilot, when you needed storage even when you just needed someone to kick you in the ass…..Bill was that guy. I along with so many others will feel his absence for years to come.
Bill was my friend and one of a handful of individuals who was willing or even capable of acknowledging and respecting my work.
My last meeting with Bill was at ICAS in December of 2015. He came over while I was setting up my booth and he told me about his wife passing. I started to cry and Bill was comforting me. It was his loss, yet he still made time to care about me during his pain. That is the kind of guy that Bill was. I think that we should all be a little more like Bill when we can. It would make the world a better place for us all.
I once had a friend named Bill. He sometimes called me a bitch. I sometimes called him a Queen. I trusted him with my life. It was the easiest thing that I ever did.
What a great tribute to Bill. This was him to a “T”
awonderful tribute. he used to fly over my house with billy segalla, loved it when I heard the planes coming. so sorry RIP billy
Very Nice!
How beautiful! Thank you for putting in words how so many of us lucky few (who really knew Bill, the real Bill) feel.
I am honored to call him friend, and once a time ago my brother-in-law.
I really haven’t seen Bill since high school. It sounds like he made a wonderful life for himself and impacted many people. How wonderful that he was able to do that and he found his passion and had a family that he loved. I enjoyed reading your story about him and I’m sorry for your loss. I hope he is somewhere wonderful catching up with his wife.
I agree with Donna-this is exactly how I remember Bill!
Amazing tribute, Billy was a great person. On so many levels. he will forever be missed.
Know bill Gordon all my life him and my dad was best of friends on grew up on his familys farm he was a great man he will never be forgotten you will be greatly missed me and pop talk about him All the time
Bill you left us too soon but it is your time to fly with the angles. Show them how it’s done my friend.
Absolutely beautiful. He was an amazing person.
I’m so sorry for your loss.
For anyone to capture the heart of my Life long friend Susan Cabanas which is not easy and worthy of being in the family circle deserve’s Much Respect he will be fever missed along with a host of other Aviation Legends. Freddie Cabanas, Amanda Franklin, Bobby Younkin,Jimmy Franklin ,Jane Wicker
That was a wonderful tribute. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of all things aerobatic. Carol, he thought that you had a cute tush. I will miss him.
Carol, you put into words my exact thoughts! Everytime I drive my 57 Chevy I think of Bill. He did the prebuy for me and told me “If you don’t buy this, I’m going to!”. He was my best friend and I miss him more than you can imagine. In 25 yrs of announcing air shows for Bill and Billy we became like brothers and I can say that Bill was a rare breed and one of a kind. He’ll never be forgotten and I often have to laugh remembering some of Bills pranks. RIP dear friend.