- Date Of Birth: April 8, 1926
- Date Of Death: January 11, 2009
- State: Montana
William Salisbury Bissell, 82, danced into the arms of Jesus at 11 minutes to 11:00pm on Sunday, January 11, 2009 at the Edgewood Vista Senior Living in Kalispell, Montana. He was born on April 8, 1926 in Thomasville, Georgia to Theodore and Isabel (Veitch) Bissell.
Bill grew up in Griffin, Georgia with his brother, Bob and sister, Sally. He joined the Army Air Corps in 1944, being honorably discharged in 1946. He then attended the University of Maryland and graduated with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering in 1952.
Bill married his college sweetheart, Mary, on August 25, 1951 in Hyattsville, Maryland. Bill turned his love of building model airplanes into a career when he joined Lockheed Aircraft Company in Burbank, California, working in the Advanced Development Project (“Skunkworks”) section. He helped design the U2, SR71 and the F-117A among several others. Bill retired after 40 FUN-TASTIC years!
Bill loved Jesus very much. He sang in church choirs, taught Bible classes, and was a leading Elder. He was a scoutmaster in the Boy Scouts program for 20 years. He loved traveling, the outdoors, and played chess by mail for 40 years.
Bill and Mary moved to Bigfork, Montana in 1991 to be closer to their family and good friends, Marv and Pat Bennett, where he enjoyed gardening, playing pool with friends and many church activities.
Bill is survived by his wife of 57 years, Mary Bissell of Bigfork; three sons: Steve and wife Bonny of Oregon, Eric and wife Karen of Oregon; and Don and wife Cindy of Bigfork; and a daughter: Debbie Fulford and husband Kirk of Bigfork; a brother: Bob; one sister: Sally; seven grandchildren: Michael, Daniel, Sheila, Ben, Israel, Shaunna and Hannah; three great grandchildren: Alena, Kylie and Elliot as well as many other relatives and friends.
“The wing designer has been given his own wings!”
