Hello I am William (Bill) Waldrip's youngest daughter, and found your FAL website. It is a wonderful website, great memories there. Anyway, my mom wanted me to send this to you for the obit page. Dad has a plaque in the Smithsonian Museum for his 50th year award. Thanks again for you dedication to the FAL website, it is alot of hard work, but well worth the visit for us. Thanks again, -Cindy Waldrip (8/19/07) OBITUARY William Allen Waldrip, was born October 31, 1925 to Ralph and Nancy Mae (Bickel) Waldrip of Chanute, Kansas. He had 2 older sisters – Laura May and Georgianna, and 2 younger brothers, Ralph Eugene and Warren Dee. He lived in the same house until he was 18. he was a member of the Methodist Church all his life. When he was 5 years old he had polio and couldn’t walk for quite a while. While recovering, he learned to braid rag rugs and made several for their home. He made a complete recovery from polio, and in 1943, his senior year, at 17, he began what would be his life’s occupation; he went to work at Knickerhoff Flying Service in Chanute. He was drafted into the Army-Air Force December 1943 and was honorably discharged March 1946. He received his Private pilot’s License and Radiotelephone Operator’s License in 1948 and his certification as an A and E, now known as an A and P Mechanic, in 1950. Following his discharge, in 1948, he worked at Vest Aircraft Service in Denver. In April 1948, he moved to Lamar and Val-Air Inc. In 1950 he worked at Boeing in Wichita Kansas making bomb sights. Then back to Lamar in time for the spring aerial spraying season. When spraying jobs were scarce, he worked at W.R. Henry Feed and Implement. Bill married Patricia A. Steward in July, 1952 in the Lamar Methodist Church. When his mother-in-law, Annabelle E. Steward, died in 1954, he took responsibility for his two young brothers-in-law, Michael and Lawrence, who remained with the Waldrips until 1956. In 1955, Pat and Bill moved to La Junta where Bill was employed by G&K Air Services. They lived on the old Army Air base in La Junta, where their first child, Elizabeth, was born in December, 1955. Son Randy was born in December, 1957. In 1958 he moved to Buckeye , Arizona. He then went on to Dalhart, Texas where his youngest daughter, Cynthia was born, in April on 1961. In 1963 he went to work for Frontier Airlines and worked for 23 years. He worked as a Mechanic, then Lead, then Inspector. When Frontier filed bankruptcy in August 1986, he taught at Colorado Aero-Tech in Broomfield, Colorado. He enjoyed teaching and working with young people but soon returned to his first love, as mechanic and inspector for Continental Airlines. He retired in April 1989 from Continental. He then worked as a consultant in Seattle, Washing (Boeing) and San Antonio, Texas (UPS). He was a DME (Designated Mechanical Examiner) for the FAA for several years and tested many would-be aircraft mechanics. In 1995 he restored a 1930’s Fairchild, which needed new wood and linen material in the wings. He was one of the few left who knew how to do this. In December 1996 he suffered a severe stroke. It took 18 months as well as hard work and therapy but he was back almost as good as new. His right foot didn’t operate as well so he was unable to drive, which he loved to do. He lived in Broomfield Colorado for 27 years and the moved back to Lamar in June 1998. He drank coffee with his old friends and enjoyed renewing old friendships. In September, 1998 he was diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer. He passed away February 27, 1999. He worked in Aviation for 53 years and on April 20th, 1996, in a ceremony hosted by the Federal Aviation Administration; he received The National Charles Taylor Award honoring his more than 50 years in Aviation. The award included a plaque signed by the president and a diamond pin. His name was entered in the Aviation Hall of Fame in Washington D.C., and inscribed on a plaque for permanent display in that museum. He loved the outdoors. He traveled extensively and fished form Canada to the Gulf of Mexico From Washington state to Kansas. He loved to travel, sightseeing was always on his itinerary. In his younger days he loved to hunt, mostly just to be outside. His father-in-Law, Earl I. Steward, preceded him in Death in December, 1995. Bill leaves behind his wife Patricia, Son Randy (Lori), Daughters, Cindy and Liz, grandchildren, Sara and Nicole, sister Laura Nilges, Brothers Warren Dee and Ralph Eugene, many nieces, nephews and friends. Hi Cindy, Thanks so much for the additional info on your dad. I will update his memorial website as soon as possible. Do you have a good face-on shoulders-up type photo of him you could send? And anything else you want to add. Thanks, -Jake Lamkins (8/19/07)