William E. Blue

Friday, September 22, 2017

Maj. William E. Blue (USAF, Ret.) grew up in Roachdale.

He is predeceased by his parents Roy Blue (teacher/principal) and Mary Shields Blue (beautician).

He is survived by his spouse Jean VanVactor Blue; his two children, Barbra Blue and Beth Blue Willis; and five grandchildren, Zachary, Zarah, Zane, Zeth and Zemar.

Maj. Blue was proud of his country and served four years in the U.S. Army and 20 years in the U.S. Air Force. He logged 10,000 flight hours in the KC-135 and 2,000 hours in the C-130 while earning seven air medals.

After retirement, Maj. Blue spent 13 years in the Explosive Ordnance division of the U.S. Navy.

Bill loved to sail, hunt rocks, perform magic, canoe Sugar Creek, collect stamps, travel and take photographs and video. CBS still uses the 1994 B-52 clip he filmed.

William E. Blue, 80 years young, succumbed to arthritis, also called stage 4 lymphoma, on Sept. 18, 2017, in his Peoria, Ariz. home, with his family by his side.

There will be a graveside service at a later date in Roachdale. In lieu of flowers, fly your American flag.

Godspeed.

Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed and joined the tumbling mirth
of sun-split clouds — and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hovering there
I’ve chased the shouting wind along and
flung my eager craft through footless halls of air.

Up, up the long delirious burning blue
I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace.
Where never lark, or even eagle, flew —
And, while with silent, lifting mind I’ve trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
— put out my hand and touched the face of God.

“High Flight” by John Gillespie (RAF)