Bill Schofield: Quiet Man, Fascinating Life

Son. Brother. Husband. Father. Grandfather.
Friend. Neighbor. Voter. Recycler. Citizen.
Veteran. College Graduate. Professional.
Overall, a very good person to know.

William (Bill) George Schofield Jr. died on March 24th 2019 after a long battle with cancer. While that part sucked, he lived an overall good life, had a loving family, and a large number of friends and admirers. Bill was always ready with a friendly handshake or a heartfelt hug, and was never at a loss for a story to tell. He was quick to help friends and family in need. Bill was a good man and will be missed.

Born in Pittsburgh, PA on September 3rd 1939, Bill as he was known to family and friends, was raised in public housing in Tampa, FL when his family emigrated to the south after the banking crash left them unemployed. While this was a hardship to his parents, he would not hesitate to tell you he loved living in "the projects." There were kids galore and never a shortage of things to do. One of his fondest memories was of his father grabbing a bat and ball and heading to a nearby field. As they walked through the buildings, more and more kids joined them, like the Pied Piper. There were so many kids they played in a scramble – too many for teams – but his Dad worked it out and Bill was proud of that.
When Bill was 15 years old he ran track and brought home a ribbon in the 660-yard race. It was his only meet because he had met Freddie, who would become his wife, and had to choose between track practice and walking her home from school. It was the beginning of 64 years together – nearly 60 of those married. He would call her "the love of my life." Together they created a loving relationship and a beautiful family. While Bill had traveled the world and had seen many exciting things, he loved nothing more than a quiet dinner and movie with Freddie at home. This after a long, hot day of yard work in his "jorts" or jean shorts which were his go-to attire at home.

Bill is survived by his wife, Freddie Schofield (nee: Godwin); children Kelley Styring and her husband Steve, Gary Schofield and his wife Susan, and Stacey Harvey; and four grandchildren Gillen Schofield, Anthony Harvey, Collin Styring, and Gillian Styring. Bill is also survived by one brother, Jerry Schofield.

Bill decided at an early age that education would be key to his personal and professional growth. He and his best friend, Jim Boggs of Tampa FL, enlisted in the Air Force on the same day and checked in for Basic Training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio TX. It was the first airplane ride for both of the new airmen and they were pleased not to vomit on the flight. After training and testing in electronics, Bill was stationed in Labrador on the Distant Early Warning System (DEW Line) which was part of the nation's Cold War Defense System. The extremes of ice and cold were new to this Florida boy and he was never short of a story about it. He was proud of his service to our country and flew the flag on all national observance days. Bill said, "I have a lot to thank the Air Force for… it made me the man I am today."

Employed by Collins Radio. This company was under contract to the National Security Agency which resulted in Bill going to CIA Headquarters at Langley for a polygraph before being deployed to Pakistan. He would not tell anyone anything about the work but mentioned that Pakistan was a rough and tumble place. He lived in a dormitory on the base but often ate "locally" and learned to hate curry as a result. He had nothing but respect for the Pakistani people and the revered the Pakistani Guard who kept them safe in this dangerous territory. Of this experience, he said, "The time I spent traveling in countries where I was a minority was the time when I grew out of racism." And that everyone should "do public service in a place where you are a minority because who knows, maybe it will allow you to be the person you truly want to be."

After a few years stateside with Collins, Bill was recruited by Pan American to work as a contractor for NASA. This was during the Gemini and Apollo Missions and it was an exciting time in the country. Pulling from his Top-Secret knowledge of Department of Defense communications, Bill solved a critical link in communications for the Apollo Moon missions, allowing the real-time decision of whether or not to land on the moon, and was awarded the Silver Snoopy by the Astronaut Corps. His commendation is signed by Astronaut Ed Mitchell. This was a rare honor. During his time with NASA he traveled to Australia, Hawaii, Fiji, and many other locations he could not reveal. The family watched each launch from our front yard. If you have the opportunity to see a launch, Bill would recommend Jetty Park on Cocoa Beach where you can stand under the arc of the liftoff. Take his advice. You'll not be sorry.

As the space program was winding down in the 70s, Bill received his Bachelor of Sciences in Business from Rollins College. This was part of his GI Bill benefits, which he was proud to have earned, and he pursued his education with vigor. This led to a series of leadership positions with companies like Toledo Scale and Fairbanks Weighing. The family traveled the country as a result, living in Ohio, New Jersey, and Vermont before returning to Florida in the early 80s. During this time of frequent change for the family, he credited Freddie with the heavy lifting. He said, "I just worked" while she made sure everyone was fed, clothed, schooled, and loved. Freddie still lives in the Florida home, in Lake Mary, they purchased together at that time.

Bill pursued a series of positions with start-ups in technology before putting his expertise in heavy equipment to good use by becoming a Crane Safety Inspector and Educator. After several years teaching at the Crane Institute he established Schofield Consulting ( www.twoblocker.com ) specializing in accident investigation and expert witness testimony.
In his spare time, Bill enjoyed working in his yard, winning numerous "yard of the month" signs which he hid in the garage. He considered the yard and gardens a work-in-progress. There was always something that could be better. He enjoyed "putting things in the ground and watching them grow." This may have come from his teen years working on a family farm in North Carolina with his cousin, Nadine, and her husband, Clarence. He often talked about the hard work followed by hearty meals that he described in delicious detail. In his later years he visited Kelley and his son-in-law Steve on their farm annually and enjoyed working harvest as well as the satisfaction of endless farm chores to be done.

"Something from Nothing" could have been his motto. He could fix almost anything and if it couldn't be fixed, parts could be salvaged. His garage looks a bit like a fix it shop with bins neatly holding all manner of pipe fittings, electrical sockets, and whatnot that could be used to build and fix anything. He also has a large sledge hammer that he would gleefully use to destroy things that didn't work right and couldn't be fixed like the occasional radio.

When Bill wasn't working in the yard or fixing things, he really loved a good cop show on TV. His favorite for many years was NCIS and he'd seen so many episodes that he could tell you the end after just seeing the beginning. He also enjoyed regular Sunday breakfasts with his Grandson Anthony at Steak 'n Shake and traveling the U.S. with Freddie to visit family in North Carolina, New Hampshire (where his son Gary and wife Sue Schofield live), Oregon (where his daughter Kelley and her husband Steve live), and special events like their 50th Wedding Anniversary in Las Vegas. To Freddie's complete surprise, Bill planned a renewal of their vows including a white stretch limousine, an Elvis impersonator dressed in gold lame, and getting matching tattoos! This trip was one of his fondest memories.

Of his children, he was closest to Stacey, he and Freddie's youngest daughter. In her younger years, Stacey was involved in many activities and recalls fondly that Bill was always there for her – for events, for support, for everything. As adults, Bill and Stacey were both insomniacs and news junkies which frequently resulted in "late night meetings" on the couch. During these times, Stacey noted that he was an endlessly patient listener and could brainstorm solutions to any problem: personal, professional, or how to build projects or fix things around the house or office. Bill is well-known at Stacey's workplace as a go-to guy who could make things better. Many will remember him this way.

Bill was a master of reuse and recycling before it was cool and could not walk past a piece of litter without picking it up. He just didn't understand litter and couldn't let it go.

During his more than four years with Myelodysplastic Syndrome (a form of blood cancer) he went through diagnosis and treatment with an eye toward living a good life. He continued to work and travel to see family to the extent he could. His goal was to be at home with family and work in his garden. When it became apparent that this was no longer possible, he chose to enter Hospice and passed peacefully. He spent his final month telling stories and looking through family picture books.

A few years ago, his grandson Collin interviewed Bill for a school project. During this interview he said: "Many people say life is an allotment of time. You know, from point A to point B. But I believe life is a series of opportunities. People always say if they could go back in time, they would do whatever, differently. But no, you wouldn't. In life you tackle opportunities using present information and you follow the path this information takes you. If you went back in time, you'd make the same choice because you wouldn't have any new information. The real message is that if you have a setback, find an alternative route and carry on. Don't think of what it could have been. Because if you go back and make the decision again, you'd do the same thing you did in the first place. This thinking allows me to be more content with my life on a day to day basis."