Obituaries
On Monday, March 2, 2009, WILLIS MELVIN “BILL” FRENCH
comfortably passed away, surrounded by family. He was 87 years of age.
This man brought a lot of happiness into the world and he will be sorely missed. He was born in Alpine, Texas on Sept. 6, 1921. His father was Willis Melvin French Sr., who owned a general store. Bill’s mother, Cora Kendrick, was a teacher who taught at various schools around West Texas. During the Depression he learned to garden and cook at an early age. These became lifelong passions and his family and friends were grateful for his labors. At the age of six he got his first ride in an airplane, an old Ford trimotor, and developed a love for aviation.
In the early 40s, he was selling new cars in Albuquerque, N.M. when the war effort reduced the number of cars because of rubber shortages. He then moved to Los Angeles, Calif. to live with an aunt, Edna Kohne, and went to work for the railroad, before being called up into the military. While working as a ticket agent on the Southern Pacific Railroad, he met his future wife of 63 years Jennette May French. They were married on June 6, 1944, in Gulfport, Miss., while Bill was stationed at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi. He flew 30 bombing missions out of Deopham Green, England, with the 8th Army Air Corps’ 452nd bomb group.
WWII ended and Bill returned to working for Southern Pacific, but was called up to participate in the Berlin Airlift. Bill and his wife Jean decided they liked service life and decided to make a career of it. The outbreak of the Korean War sent Bill and family packing to Anchorage, Alaska, where he commanded a communications Squadron at Elmendorf Air Force Base. He also piloted a PBY, which was a large pontooned aircraft, designed to take off and land on runway or water. After the war, Bill was transferred to the Mobile Training Wing at Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul, Ill. While there, he flew C-119s, and C-47s. His next assignment was that of an exchange officer to Canada, working with military intelligence.
In 1959, the family returned to the States, where Bill was given the opportunity to go to school for a year. After a year at the University of Colorado in Boulder, he was given the choice of another year of schooling to finish his business degree or moving to California and joining the space program. It was a no-brainer. He was transferred to the Satellite Test Center outside of Sunnyvale, Calif. as part of the Corona program, which was the first photo reconnaissance satellite, replacing the U-2 reconnaissance plane. In 1965, he was transferred to Los Angeles to work at the USAF Space and Missile Systems Organization, part of a research and development command. In 1967, while up for promotion to Colonel, he left the service for the private sector as there was more money to be made, for he now had several children of college age. In 2008, the University of Colorado gave Bill a degree in business after including his lifetime achievements.
In 1970, with things slowing down in the aerospace industries, Bill fulfilled a lifelong desire and bought a restaurant. It happened to be in Sedona, before they had any stoplights. For four years, Bill and Jean served fine meals to the community as gracious hosts, and during that time Bill was elected president of the chamber of commerce. It was an enjoyable interlude, but Bill was called back into the aerospace industry by General Electric to manage a large program. When he retired in 1986, he had a conference room named after him, and in the 1990s, he was honored as one of the early pioneers of the space program; also receiving accolades from the government. He was the founding director of the Air Force Space Operations Association from 1992-1993.
Retiring to Green Valley in 1986, Bill had another house (4th) built around the kitchen because he loved cooking and entertaining. Bill and Jean joined the Country Club of Green Valley, as they both loved to golf and play bridge.
Jean preceded Bill in death by 15 months. He is survived by his six grateful children: Carol (Jos/) Diaz of Lake Matthews, Calif., Bill (Kathie) French Jr. of Annandale, Va., Susan (Thornwell) Rogers of Scottsdale, Don French of Green Valley, Robinette (Tom) Tabback of Sedona and Jim (Anne) French, also of Sedona. He is also survived by six grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
The French family would like to again thank the staff of Hacienda/La Posada for the great care they gave to our parents. In lieu of flowers, please give to your favorite charity. Dad had macular degeneration.
This man brought a lot of happiness into the world and he will be sorely missed. He was born in Alpine, Texas on Sept. 6, 1921. His father was Willis Melvin French Sr., who owned a general store. Bill’s mother, Cora Kendrick, was a teacher who taught at various schools around West Texas. During the Depression he learned to garden and cook at an early age. These became lifelong passions and his family and friends were grateful for his labors. At the age of six he got his first ride in an airplane, an old Ford trimotor, and developed a love for aviation.
In the early 40s, he was selling new cars in Albuquerque, N.M. when the war effort reduced the number of cars because of rubber shortages. He then moved to Los Angeles, Calif. to live with an aunt, Edna Kohne, and went to work for the railroad, before being called up into the military. While working as a ticket agent on the Southern Pacific Railroad, he met his future wife of 63 years Jennette May French. They were married on June 6, 1944, in Gulfport, Miss., while Bill was stationed at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi. He flew 30 bombing missions out of Deopham Green, England, with the 8th Army Air Corps’ 452nd bomb group.
WWII ended and Bill returned to working for Southern Pacific, but was called up to participate in the Berlin Airlift. Bill and his wife Jean decided they liked service life and decided to make a career of it. The outbreak of the Korean War sent Bill and family packing to Anchorage, Alaska, where he commanded a communications Squadron at Elmendorf Air Force Base. He also piloted a PBY, which was a large pontooned aircraft, designed to take off and land on runway or water. After the war, Bill was transferred to the Mobile Training Wing at Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul, Ill. While there, he flew C-119s, and C-47s. His next assignment was that of an exchange officer to Canada, working with military intelligence.
In 1959, the family returned to the States, where Bill was given the opportunity to go to school for a year. After a year at the University of Colorado in Boulder, he was given the choice of another year of schooling to finish his business degree or moving to California and joining the space program. It was a no-brainer. He was transferred to the Satellite Test Center outside of Sunnyvale, Calif. as part of the Corona program, which was the first photo reconnaissance satellite, replacing the U-2 reconnaissance plane. In 1965, he was transferred to Los Angeles to work at the USAF Space and Missile Systems Organization, part of a research and development command. In 1967, while up for promotion to Colonel, he left the service for the private sector as there was more money to be made, for he now had several children of college age. In 2008, the University of Colorado gave Bill a degree in business after including his lifetime achievements.
In 1970, with things slowing down in the aerospace industries, Bill fulfilled a lifelong desire and bought a restaurant. It happened to be in Sedona, before they had any stoplights. For four years, Bill and Jean served fine meals to the community as gracious hosts, and during that time Bill was elected president of the chamber of commerce. It was an enjoyable interlude, but Bill was called back into the aerospace industry by General Electric to manage a large program. When he retired in 1986, he had a conference room named after him, and in the 1990s, he was honored as one of the early pioneers of the space program; also receiving accolades from the government. He was the founding director of the Air Force Space Operations Association from 1992-1993.
Retiring to Green Valley in 1986, Bill had another house (4th) built around the kitchen because he loved cooking and entertaining. Bill and Jean joined the Country Club of Green Valley, as they both loved to golf and play bridge.
Jean preceded Bill in death by 15 months. He is survived by his six grateful children: Carol (Jos/) Diaz of Lake Matthews, Calif., Bill (Kathie) French Jr. of Annandale, Va., Susan (Thornwell) Rogers of Scottsdale, Don French of Green Valley, Robinette (Tom) Tabback of Sedona and Jim (Anne) French, also of Sedona. He is also survived by six grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
The French family would like to again thank the staff of Hacienda/La Posada for the great care they gave to our parents. In lieu of flowers, please give to your favorite charity. Dad had macular degeneration.
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