William Edward McFadden
July 18, 1928-Jan. 13, 2017
Palo Alto, California
Submitted by Susan Crawford

William Edward McFadden, a longtime resident of Palo Alto, passed away in his home in Grass Valley on Jan. 13, surrounded by family. He was 88.

Bill was born on July 18, 1928, in Lakewood, Ohio. He received a BS degree in mechanical engineering from Antioch College in 1953 and a Master of Science degree from Illinois Institute of Technology in 1955, after which he achieved his dream of becoming a rocket scientist. He retired in 1988, after a long career at Lockheed Missiles and Space Company, where he was a research specialist in re-entry problems. His work included the Polaris and Trident programs as well as involvement with Earth, Mars and Venus atmospheric entry problems, Lunar orbit mechanics and soft landing, orbital rendezvous spaceflight simulation and various support activities in the field of advanced flight mechanics.

He was a devoted father to his children, always putting their needs first, especially when his first wife passed away unexpectedly, leaving him suddenly widowed with three young children.

A lifelong fan of jazz music, Bill was the drummer in the South Bay Seven Dixieland Jazz Band for over 15 years, as well as a fixture on the bass drum in the local Greenmeadow Community 4th of July Parade for many years.

The Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto was his lifelong spiritual home. He served multiple terms on the Board of Trustees, Buildings and Grounds, Usher and Pastoral Search Committees. He and his wife, Jean W. McFadden, were both pillars of the church community.

He is survived by his children, William B., Susan and Jeff and five grandchildren, as well as the children of his second wife -- Steve, Diane and Brooke -- and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren from that extended family.

Bill was preceded in death by the mother of his children, Joyce Eileen Jones McFadden, who passed away in 1969, as well as his beloved wife of 42 years Jean Lillagore Walker McFadden, who passed in 2014.

“He’d done his damndest.”