William P.D. Wilson Jr.

WILSON, WILLIAM P.D., JR., 84, of Wichita, retired Boeing Flight Test Operations Manager, died Monday, July 16, 2007. Services will be 1:30 P.M. Wednesday, July 18, 2007 at the Kansas Masonic Home, Eastern Star Chapel. Bill was born June 1st, 1923 in Wichita, KS to Annie and William Wilson of St. Andrews, Scotland. He grew to manhood in Wichita being educated through the public school system. He took his first airplane ride at ten years of age and developed an ardent interest in flying and aircraft. As a young man he was active in Wichita aircraft modeling circles. Following graduation from East High School in 1942, he went to work in the engineering section of the Gas Service Co. The announcement of the declaration of war following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor found him not sure of what a country going to war really meant. In December 1942, while a student at WSU, he enlisted in the Army reserves and was called to active service in April 1943. After induction, he moved through Basic and Advanced training. He then embarked into Basic, Primary and Advanced pilot training as an air cadet. In Pecos, TX he received his pilots wings and a 2nd Lieutenants commission. He was deployed with the 8th Army Air Force, 91st Bomb Group, 322 Squadron at Bassingbourne, England (U.K.). There he served through the end of the war into the postwar period before returning to the States with orders to enter B-29 co-pilot training. The war with Japan ended and he returned to Wichita to resume his education at WSU as an engineering student. His BS in engineering was followed by an MS in Aeronautical Engineering in June 1950 as a member of the first graduating class in the curriculum from WSU. He met Patricia Garver in 1947 and they married in September of 1950. After their marriage they journeyed to Seattle where Bill began work for the Boeing Co. After a short stay there he returned to Wichita with his family to work at the Cessna Company. He stayed there from 1951 - 1958. During this time his family grew with the birth of a son, William III in 1951, and a daughter, Louise in 1954. While at Cessna he was a member of the design ream for the T-37 and worked as well on the design of the Cessna 310 series. In 1958 he moved to Boeing-Wichita where he continued until his retirement in 1989. Here he worked in various aspects of Flight Test spending the majority of his time on various modifications of the B-52. Throughout this time he remained in the Air Force Reserves finally retiring with the rank of Major in 1989. While in the Air Force he continued course work through the Air War College. He was also a member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the Dadaelions (retired military pilots association) and was an active volunteer at the Kansas Aviation Museum. He also became a 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Mason following in the footsteps of his father. He remained active in the Albert Pike Lodge and Lodge 450. He was an active member of Metropolitan Baptist Church. In 1986 Pat and Bill divorced, each following the separate paths but remaining friends. Bill was later diagnosed with Parkinsons disease. In 1994 he moved to the Masonic Home apartments becoming active in various resident administrative roles. He is survived by his son, William P.D. Wilson, III, M.D. (Caryl), a daughter, Louise WW. Morris (Pete), and grandchildren Morgan Olivia Tracy and Samuel A. Morris. Memorials have been established with the Kansas Aviation Museum, 3350 George Washington Blvd., Wichita, Kansas, 67210, and Youth Horizons, 1601 East Douglas, Wichita, Kansas, 67211. Downing Lahey Mortuary East.