Born William Frank Isaacs on November 9th, 1923 to Jacob Herman Isaacs and Elvira Skinner Isaacs in Huntington Park, California. He was always known to everyone as Bill. The family moved to Bakersfield in 1929, where Bill, his older brother Jay, and sister Ruth attended Jefferson Elementary School. It was at Washington Junior High School where he learned to play the double B Flat sousaphone in the school band. He always felt Mr. Parlier gave him that instrument because he was the only "big and tall-enough" band member able to handle that horn.
Bill went on to attend Bakersfield High School (KCUHS) for a half year until the new East Bakersfield High School opened in the fall of 1937, eventually becoming a member of the first graduating class at EBHS in 1941. While at EBHS Bill excelled in swimming and continued in Band. It was also there where he met Betty Lou Galey, courting her on his bicycle.
After graduation Bill attended Bakersfield Junior College until three days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, when he and three other young patriotic friends joined the Navy. All four of them were processed through the San Diego Naval Training Center. Bill went on to Bremmerton, Washington, where he was assigned to the Battleship USS Tennessee, in for repairs after being hit at Pearl Harbor. The Ship was then deployed to the South Pacific, and then went on to participate in shore bombardments at the Aleutian Islands against the Japanese.
In December 1943 Bill was transferred to Camp Parks, California as Quartermaster and then went to the Naval Air Station at Terminal Island, teaching navigation to "90-day wonder" recruits. By September 1944 Bill's application for flight school was approved and he shipped to Natchitoches, Louisiana for pre-flight training. Then to St. Mary's in California for 6 more months of flight school. It was now at the end of World War II and Bill continued in the Service until 1946 at the Naval Air Station in Memphis.
Bill returned home to Bakersfield briefly before heading to Oregon State College in Corvallis. In January 1848 he married Bakersfield girl, Barbara Jean Harper, while continuing his education at UC Berkeley. Bill graduated from UC Berkeley with a Business Administration degree and a minor in Accounting. The young couple returned to Bakersfield where Bill had a long and successful career as a Certified Public Accountant until his eventual retirement.
Bill and Jean were blessed with 2 wonderful daughters, Jan and Jill. It was in early 1991 that his wife Jean passed away after a long illness. In 1992 Bill married his 2nd wife, Betty, who had been his high school sweetheart, Betty Galey, and added to his family her 3 adult children.
Throughout Bill's life he has been active in many civic organizations including the Bakersfield East Rotary Club, the California Society of CPA's, the Bakersfield Racquet Club for over 30 years, the Bakersfield County Club and until recently was involved with the SIRS (Seniors in Retirement) organization.
Bill is survived by his loving wife, Betty; daughter and son-in-law Jan and Bob Jasper; daughter and son-in-law Jill and Ron Beesley; stepchildren Dawna and Michael Adams of Jacksonville, Florida; Merry Scott; Kip and Kelly Scott; nine grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.
All who knew Bill will miss his warm, loving, generous nature and especially his quick wit which could always keep you chuckling.
A memorial service at Hillcrest Mortuary is scheduled for Friday July 11th at 2pm.
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