William Donald Westmoreland

Commander William Donald Westmoreland, 74, passed away peacefully surrounded by family in Jacksonville, FL on November 16, 2022. His greatest joy was spending time with his family. In addition to being a loving husband and father, Bill was a twenty-two year veteran of the military and a Naval aviator.

Commander Westmoreland was born on August 31, 1948, in Oakland, CA to his parents, Captain Arthur Edward Westmoreland and Edith Palm Westmoreland. Bill was raised in a Navy family with 2 siblings, Janice Westmoreland and Diana Westmoreland Pedrozo, and his childhood was spent exploring the country and the world. He met his future wife, Nancy Hirschl Brown, at George Washington University in 1968. Bill and Nancy were married in 1970 and had three daughters, Janice Westmoreland Brinker, Kristen Westmoreland Wenaas, and Lara Westmoreland Duguid.

Bill spent the majority of his Naval career as a Naval aviator. Shortly after college graduation, he joined the Navy and began Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, FL. He earned his “wings of gold” in May of 1972. He then spent over two decades flying such planes as the T2, RA-5C Vigilante and the S-3 Viking at wonderful places like Beeville, TX, Key West, FL, and Coronado, CA. Although he served on several aircraft carriers, the family has fond memories of his youngest daughter, Lara, being baptized on the Oriskany. After finishing his days in the cockpit, he was transferred to Colorado Springs, Colorado where he served with NORAD. Following Colorado, Bill served his last tour of duty in Honolulu, Hawaii.

In 1990 Bill met Kris, his future wife in Hawaii. After 22 incredible and fulfilling years, Bill retired from the US Navy in 1992. Bill and Kris returned to Colorado and were married on September 6, 1992. Bill got his teaching degree in History and Science and then taught middle school until they returned to Hawaii in 1996. There, he taught at Maryknoll High School and coached their soccer team.

In 2001, Bill went back to flying with Island Air, serving as their Chief Pilot for a short time. After a few years, he applied to the Federal Aviation Administration as a Flight Safety Officer with the FAA. He worked first in Portland, OR, then Hawaii and finally in Oklahoma. Bill retired in 2018 and he and Kris settled in Jacksonville, Florida.

Bill was proud of his service as a Naval Officer, but he was even more proud of his 3 daughters and 6 grandchildren. As a parent, Bill was a loving, involved father who left no doubt that his family was his greatest accomplishment. William Donald Westmoreland, Wesmo (the pilot), and Mr. West (the teacher) was loved deeply and will be greatly missed.

Bill is survived by his wife, Kristine Westmoreland, daughters Janice Brinker (Todd), Kristen Wenaas (Mark), and Lara Duguid; stepdaughters, Jeannie Paolino (John) and Laura Blancq; sister, Diana Westmoreland Pedrozo (Joe); nephews, Joey and Billy Pedrozo. And Bill’s blood flows on in his amazing grandchildren: Allie and Julianna Brinker, Taylor and Brody Wenaas, and Taeya and Simone Duguid.