Bill was born in Texas, but was raised in Lindsay, California. He was the oldest of seven children to parents Charles Wesley Richey from Alabama and Nellie Basham - Richey from Oklahoma. He graduated from Fresno State College. He was a comissioned United States Air Force 1st. Lt. stationed in Japan for four years. After the Air Force as a civilian he taught English to Japanese in Tokyo, Japan.
Bill married Tokyo born Masayo Suzuki on Aug. 3. 1967 at the American Embassy in Tokyo. In Dec. 1967, he began working for Japan Airlines as a flight navigator. After leaving Japan Airlines, he obtained his Airman Certificate and worked as an instructor for Flying Country Club at Reid-Hillview Airport - San Jose, California.
Bill died tragically in a plane crash. He was flying right seat in a private aircraft as an instructor/ evaluator while administering an FAA annual certification test of another pilot who also died. The cause of the crash was determined to be from severe wind-shear in a thunderstorm over Livermore, California. Bill's burial was on Nov. 20, 1979. He was only 51 years old, but died while doing what he most enjoyed in life - flying.
Bill married Tokyo born Masayo Suzuki on Aug. 3. 1967 at the American Embassy in Tokyo. In Dec. 1967, he began working for Japan Airlines as a flight navigator. After leaving Japan Airlines, he obtained his Airman Certificate and worked as an instructor for Flying Country Club at Reid-Hillview Airport - San Jose, California.
Bill died tragically in a plane crash. He was flying right seat in a private aircraft as an instructor/ evaluator while administering an FAA annual certification test of another pilot who also died. The cause of the crash was determined to be from severe wind-shear in a thunderstorm over Livermore, California. Bill's burial was on Nov. 20, 1979. He was only 51 years old, but died while doing what he most enjoyed in life - flying.
Bill was born in Texas, but was raised in Lindsay, California. He was the oldest of seven children to parents Charles Wesley Richey from Alabama and Nellie Basham - Richey from Oklahoma. He graduated from Fresno State College. He was a comissioned United States Air Force 1st. Lt. stationed in Japan for four years. After the Air Force as a civilian he taught English to Japanese in Tokyo, Japan.
Bill married Tokyo born Masayo Suzuki on Aug. 3. 1967 at the American Embassy in Tokyo. In Dec. 1967, he began working for Japan Airlines as a flight navigator. After leaving Japan Airlines, he obtained his Airman Certificate and worked as an instructor for Flying Country Club at Reid-Hillview Airport - San Jose, California.
Bill died tragically in a plane crash. He was flying right seat in a private aircraft as an instructor/ evaluator while administering an FAA annual certification test of another pilot who also died. The cause of the crash was determined to be from severe wind-shear in a thunderstorm over Livermore, California. Bill's burial was on Nov. 20, 1979. He was only 51 years old, but died while doing what he most enjoyed in life - flying.
Bill married Tokyo born Masayo Suzuki on Aug. 3. 1967 at the American Embassy in Tokyo. In Dec. 1967, he began working for Japan Airlines as a flight navigator. After leaving Japan Airlines, he obtained his Airman Certificate and worked as an instructor for Flying Country Club at Reid-Hillview Airport - San Jose, California.
Bill died tragically in a plane crash. He was flying right seat in a private aircraft as an instructor/ evaluator while administering an FAA annual certification test of another pilot who also died. The cause of the crash was determined to be from severe wind-shear in a thunderstorm over Livermore, California. Bill's burial was on Nov. 20, 1979. He was only 51 years old, but died while doing what he most enjoyed in life - flying.
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