Bill Barlow, beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather left this world on May 20th.
Bill was born on June 15, 1924 in Seattle, WA to Helen Grace Barlow (née Kingen) and Albert William Barlow Sr. During his childhood, he became enamored with flying, no doubt inspired by Saturday afternoon movie serials and Sunday newspaper comic strips such as "Tailspin Tommy" and "Terry and the Pirates."
After Pearl Harbor, he volunteered to join the Army Air Corps. Upon winning his fighter pilot wings, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant and assigned to the 351st Squadron, 353rd Fighter Group, Raydon Airfield, Suffolk, England. He was the youngest pilot in his unit.
On September 8, 1944, his P-47 was hit by flak and he was forced to bail out over Belgium. Evading German infantry for 8 days, he was finally rescued by American soldiers.
Due to his wounds, he was sent to recuperate at Letterman Army Hospital, San Francisco, California, where he met Martha Betty Chapman, an Army nurse, on a blind date. They were married on November 28, 1945, one month after they met. His injuries eventually resulted in both legs being amputated below the knees. He was retired a Captain in the United States Air Force.
His professional career included both private and public service. He retired in 1980 as a Veterans Administration Prosthetics Rep. He was active in the Bainbridge Island Rotary Club, serving as president in the 1970's and was instrumental in the creation of and very active in the annual Rotary Auction. He was a popular Boy Scout leader for his son Don's troop in the late 1950's. He was also a long time member of the Bainbridge Sportsman Club.
Despite his handicaps, he was an avid outdoorsman, a crack shot with both rifle and shotgun, enjoyed photography and was particularly clever in his beloved shop creating a plethora of bird feeders, tool racks and even built his own darkroom.
Before moving to Connell, Washington, he spent most of his adult life on Bainbridge Island, Washington.
Predeceased by his younger brother, Donald Douglas, his parents and son-in-law Jim Doolin, he is survived by his wife, Betty of 67 years, his children Donald Dale Barlow (Setsuko), Mary Lynn Doolin and Jeri Lisa Reinauer (Dirk). He has 10 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
Bill was born on June 15, 1924 in Seattle, WA to Helen Grace Barlow (née Kingen) and Albert William Barlow Sr. During his childhood, he became enamored with flying, no doubt inspired by Saturday afternoon movie serials and Sunday newspaper comic strips such as "Tailspin Tommy" and "Terry and the Pirates."
After Pearl Harbor, he volunteered to join the Army Air Corps. Upon winning his fighter pilot wings, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant and assigned to the 351st Squadron, 353rd Fighter Group, Raydon Airfield, Suffolk, England. He was the youngest pilot in his unit.
On September 8, 1944, his P-47 was hit by flak and he was forced to bail out over Belgium. Evading German infantry for 8 days, he was finally rescued by American soldiers.
Due to his wounds, he was sent to recuperate at Letterman Army Hospital, San Francisco, California, where he met Martha Betty Chapman, an Army nurse, on a blind date. They were married on November 28, 1945, one month after they met. His injuries eventually resulted in both legs being amputated below the knees. He was retired a Captain in the United States Air Force.
His professional career included both private and public service. He retired in 1980 as a Veterans Administration Prosthetics Rep. He was active in the Bainbridge Island Rotary Club, serving as president in the 1970's and was instrumental in the creation of and very active in the annual Rotary Auction. He was a popular Boy Scout leader for his son Don's troop in the late 1950's. He was also a long time member of the Bainbridge Sportsman Club.
Despite his handicaps, he was an avid outdoorsman, a crack shot with both rifle and shotgun, enjoyed photography and was particularly clever in his beloved shop creating a plethora of bird feeders, tool racks and even built his own darkroom.
Before moving to Connell, Washington, he spent most of his adult life on Bainbridge Island, Washington.
Predeceased by his younger brother, Donald Douglas, his parents and son-in-law Jim Doolin, he is survived by his wife, Betty of 67 years, his children Donald Dale Barlow (Setsuko), Mary Lynn Doolin and Jeri Lisa Reinauer (Dirk). He has 10 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
Bill Barlow, beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather left this world on May 20th.
Bill was born on June 15, 1924 in Seattle, WA to Helen Grace Barlow (née Kingen) and Albert William Barlow Sr. During his childhood, he became enamored with flying, no doubt inspired by Saturday afternoon movie serials and Sunday newspaper comic strips such as "Tailspin Tommy" and "Terry and the Pirates."
After Pearl Harbor, he volunteered to join the Army Air Corps. Upon winning his fighter pilot wings, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant and assigned to the 351st Squadron, 353rd Fighter Group, Raydon Airfield, Suffolk, England. He was the youngest pilot in his unit.
On September 8, 1944, his P-47 was hit by flak and he was forced to bail out over Belgium. Evading German infantry for 8 days, he was finally rescued by American soldiers.
Due to his wounds, he was sent to recuperate at Letterman Army Hospital, San Francisco, California, where he met Martha Betty Chapman, an Army nurse, on a blind date. They were married on November 28, 1945, one month after they met. His injuries eventually resulted in both legs being amputated below the knees. He was retired a Captain in the United States Air Force.
His professional career included both private and public service. He retired in 1980 as a Veterans Administration Prosthetics Rep. He was active in the Bainbridge Island Rotary Club, serving as president in the 1970's and was instrumental in the creation of and very active in the annual Rotary Auction. He was a popular Boy Scout leader for his son Don's troop in the late 1950's. He was also a long time member of the Bainbridge Sportsman Club.
Despite his handicaps, he was an avid outdoorsman, a crack shot with both rifle and shotgun, enjoyed photography and was particularly clever in his beloved shop creating a plethora of bird feeders, tool racks and even built his own darkroom.
Before moving to Connell, Washington, he spent most of his adult life on Bainbridge Island, Washington.
Predeceased by his younger brother, Donald Douglas, his parents and son-in-law Jim Doolin, he is survived by his wife, Betty of 67 years, his children Donald Dale Barlow (Setsuko), Mary Lynn Doolin and Jeri Lisa Reinauer (Dirk). He has 10 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
Bill was born on June 15, 1924 in Seattle, WA to Helen Grace Barlow (née Kingen) and Albert William Barlow Sr. During his childhood, he became enamored with flying, no doubt inspired by Saturday afternoon movie serials and Sunday newspaper comic strips such as "Tailspin Tommy" and "Terry and the Pirates."
After Pearl Harbor, he volunteered to join the Army Air Corps. Upon winning his fighter pilot wings, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant and assigned to the 351st Squadron, 353rd Fighter Group, Raydon Airfield, Suffolk, England. He was the youngest pilot in his unit.
On September 8, 1944, his P-47 was hit by flak and he was forced to bail out over Belgium. Evading German infantry for 8 days, he was finally rescued by American soldiers.
Due to his wounds, he was sent to recuperate at Letterman Army Hospital, San Francisco, California, where he met Martha Betty Chapman, an Army nurse, on a blind date. They were married on November 28, 1945, one month after they met. His injuries eventually resulted in both legs being amputated below the knees. He was retired a Captain in the United States Air Force.
His professional career included both private and public service. He retired in 1980 as a Veterans Administration Prosthetics Rep. He was active in the Bainbridge Island Rotary Club, serving as president in the 1970's and was instrumental in the creation of and very active in the annual Rotary Auction. He was a popular Boy Scout leader for his son Don's troop in the late 1950's. He was also a long time member of the Bainbridge Sportsman Club.
Despite his handicaps, he was an avid outdoorsman, a crack shot with both rifle and shotgun, enjoyed photography and was particularly clever in his beloved shop creating a plethora of bird feeders, tool racks and even built his own darkroom.
Before moving to Connell, Washington, he spent most of his adult life on Bainbridge Island, Washington.
Predeceased by his younger brother, Donald Douglas, his parents and son-in-law Jim Doolin, he is survived by his wife, Betty of 67 years, his children Donald Dale Barlow (Setsuko), Mary Lynn Doolin and Jeri Lisa Reinauer (Dirk). He has 10 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
