William Byers

William Byers, 73, of Fountain Hills died in late May 2016 after an 11-year battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife of 32 years, Kathy. He was a 20-year resident of Fountain Hills.

Growing up in Oklahoma, Bill spent his summers as a teen working as a custom combiner on the annual Texas to Canada wheat harvest. In August, when high school football practice began and the start of another school year approached, he would leave the harvest, usually in the Dakotas, to return home.

Bill achieved his life-long dream of becoming a pilot when he received his Naval Aviator wings in 1962. He served as an aircraft carrier-based fighter pilot, flying the A4 Skyhawk. He completed over 150 combat missions with Attack Squadron VA-153 during the Viet Nam war. He was awarded numerous medals including 3 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 17 Air Medals, and 2 Navy Commendation Medals with Valor.

After active duty, he continued to fly his beloved A-4’s with Naval Reserve Attack Squadrons VA-5Y1 and later, VFC-12.

In civilian life, Bill became a commercial airline pilot. He retired from Northwest Airlines after 34 years of service. During his last years with NWA he was a 747-400 captain. During his airline career he flew the 727, 707, 757, DC-10, 747 and the 747-400. He loved flying and was fortunate to have devoted most of his life to the pursuit of it.

Bill was also an avid outdoorsman, a lifelong passion that came second only to his love of flight. He enjoyed and shared an appreciation of the great outdoors with many of his friends, old and new.

In the final year of his life, he began attending the Fountain Hills Men’s Group and enjoyed the camaraderie of many of “the guys” there. Bill made friends easily because he respected and valued friendship, something he learned from his military and airline experience. Many of those that he served with or worked beside were still in contact with him at the time of his death.

Despite his numerous health challenges over the years, no one ever saw Bill without a smile on his face.

William Byers will be laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.