William (Bill) Hadaway peacefully passed into his Savior’s arms on Christmas Day at ninety-three. Jo Ann, his wife of sixty-two years, his daughter, Janet (John) Conner, and three sons, Glen (Tracie), Neal (Tisha) and Jonathan (Amy) Hadaway were there or had recently visited. He had one brother, Earl. He lived life fully to the end and had driven to Kiwanis on 12/3/18.
Bill graduated Sidney Lanier HS, Montgomery in 1943 and was soon inducted into the Army Air Corps. After completing pilot training in April 1945, he was assigned his B25 bomber crew but never flew in combat thanks to VJ Day. He was one of the youngest of the WWII “Greatest Generation.” Bill graduated Auburn with his aeronautical engineering degree in l948. The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) employed him to research ways of building a better airplane.
Jo Ann caught his eye in 1954; they were married 4/28/56. Bill and Jo Ann transferred from Virginia to the Ordnance Missile Laboratory at Redstone Arsenal. A registered Professional Engineer in Alabama, he designed and built small rockets and better weapons for the Army. He enjoyed his work and many trips to the Pentagon. First Baptist Church choir (62 yrs.), Living Christmas Tree (33 yrs.), teaching Sunday School and being a deacon plus golf, bridge and loving his family filled his leisure time.
Besides his wife and children, Bill is survived by 12 grandchildren- Austin, Brooke and Caroline Conner; Leigh, Josie, Andrea, Olivia, Adrianna, Joshua, Nathan, Luke and Hillary Hadaway and many nieces and nephews.
On January 5, 2019 a visitation will be held at First Baptist Church Sanctuary at 11:30 with memorial service at 12:30 pm.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be sent to FBC Missions or your favorite mission group.
