William Joseph Bourgeois Jr.

William (Bill) Joseph Bourgeois Jr was born on October 1, 1936 in New Orleans, LA and was the oldest son of William Sr and Josephine Bourgeois. He passed away on October 16, 2020 after a long battle with a complication from surgery and is under the care of Ted Dickey West Funeral Home in Dallas TX. He is now with his brother Oliver (Brock) and his mother and father in heaven.

Bill lived life to the fullest. He played offensive guard and was co-captain on the Martin Behrman HS football team that went to the State Championship in 1954. He was a 20y veteran of the Air Force and served in multiple roles as an Electronics Warfare Officer in a B52 bomber squadron, as a Missile Control Officer (Minuteman), and as a Weapons Systems Officer in an F4 squadron deployed to Viet Nam. He retired in 1978 while stationed at Luke AFB in Phoenix AZ. In 1969 he attained an MSEE from the University of Wyoming. After the Air Force, he went on to a long successful career in engineering and management at TI and Raytheon in Dallas TX where he worked on a number of DoD projects. After that, he went on to become an Adjunct Professor at Collin County CC.

His main passion in life outside his family was flying airplanes. He spent much of his available spare time in his Bonanza, perfecting his personal flying skills. He was also an avid instructor of the skill with many students who attained their pilot’s license under his guidance in Phoenix and Dallas. Bill had a real passion for learning and getting hands on experience. An example was in his ownership of a sailboat where he would regale anyone who would listen of the numerous nautical terms and procedures of sailing. In addition, he had a number of stories of near catastrophic experiences that always seemed to end in a hilarious fashion.

He was a dedicated family man. He met his future spouse, Carolyn, in HS in New Orleans LA. They were married in 1958 and remained so until his passing in 2020. They raised three children (Tim, Dianne, and Gary). An example of their commitment to family is that family vacations were not to the beach or amusement parks; their vacations were spent visiting their greater families in New Orleans. The three children always saw these trips as the highlight of the year. Bill and Carolyn had 4 grandchildren (Nicholas, Michelle, Alexander, and Madeleine) and 5 great-grandchildren (Emma, Luke, Caroline, Isabelle, and Charlotte). He was always an exemplary active role model for all of them and the greater family at large.

Bill is survived by his spouse Carolyn, the three children, the grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and his brothers Roland and Wayne. They and the greater family too numerous to mention will miss him terribly. His final interment is set for a site in New Orleans LA at an unspecified date in early 2021.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.teddickeywestfuneral.com for the Bourgeois family.