USAFA Class Heritage Class of 1963

Bill was born in Washington, DC on February 6, 1941 to Ruth Field Trott and Edward Bancroft Heinlein. By the age of seven, both parents were deceased, and Bill moved to Newburgh, NY where he was raised by his paternal aunt, Edna Louise Heinlein. From an early age, Bill was a devout Catholic, attending St. Mary's Grammar School and graduating first in his class from St. Patrick's Catholic High School in 1959. Bill earned an appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy in June 1959 and moved to Colorado Springs, CO to join the fifth Academy class and first to begin their freshman year on campus. 

Bill met his wife Judy Fitzell on a blind date while she was attending St. Joseph's Nursing School in Denver, CO. They were engaged Christmas 1962 and married December 28, 1963. They were the proud parents of four children - Julia, Jayna, Donovan and Jodene and nine grandchildren - Andrew, Austin & Brynne Burrows; Megan & Sophie Lloyd; Jake & Colin Heinlein; and William &  Joshua Dunphy.

Bill graduated June 5, 1963 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant.  He served his country for 20 years as an electrical and aerospace engineer. In fall 1963, he began his service at Lowry AFB, CO with Avionics and Instrument Technician Training. On March 20, 1968, he graduated from the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright Patterson AFB, OH with a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. His stations included Eglin AFB, FL where he served in radar command; FE Warren AFB, WY with service as an officer in the Strategic Air Command and then General's Aide; Maxwell AFB, AL as an instructor at the Air War College; El Segundo, CA as an engineer with the Space and Missile Systems Organization (SAMSO) working on the space shuttle mission; and as Chief and Air Force Liaison at NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA. Bill retired on June 30, 1983 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. 

Bill continued his career as an aerospace engineer at Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA. He was engineer and procurement manager for MILSTAR, then the Defense Department's most technologically advanced telecommunications satellite program. The first two satellites were launched in 1994 and 1995 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL. The final two satellites launched after Bill's retirement from Lockheed in June 1998. 

Bill was a devout Catholic, a storyteller and collector of Christmas decorations, Robert A. Heinlein books, red wine, and coins. He never met a stranger and loved sharing stories of his grandchildren's accomplishments. He was a soccer coach, referee and referee instructor for over three decades. After retiring from soccer, Bill served as President of the Association of Graduates in the Sacramento, CA area and as greeter and usher at St. Joseph Marello Catholic Church in Granite Bay, CA. 

Bill passed away on May 20, 2024 in Carson City, NV. He is survived by wife Claudia Gamar-Heinlein of Gardnerville, NV. He is also survived by four children - Julia, Jayna, Donovan and Jodene with wife Judith Fitzell Heinlein (deceased in 2001) and nine grandchildren.