William Arthur Kirschner

William Arthur Kirschner, 85, flew west peacefully from his home of 52 years in Lake Tahoe, NV August 22, 2022.  William A. “Bill” was born in 1936 to Arthur and Elizabeth Kirschner in the Bronx, New York. He spent much of his youth in the Bangall and Hunns Lake area of New York State.  Bill was the oldest of four children and was preceded in death by his parents, his sisters Rita Dahl and Virginia Heinsohn, his loving wife Barbara Kirschner of 32 years and his first wife Jeanne Lawson Kirschner and is survived by his youngest sister Susan Phelps.  He also leaves behind his three children, Glenn, Stacy, and Kris and grandchildren Angela, Jenny, Sawyer and Kestrel and two great grandchildren, Brynlie and Daxton.

Bill joined the Navy in 1954 and was stationed on the U.S.S. Hornet.  He wanted to be in a submarine, but they assigned him to the flight deck which changed his life forever.  After being discharged from the Navy, he worked as an airplane mechanic while going to school to complete his captain’s license.   In 1963 he signed on with TWA flying the Connie and then the 707.  He spent 36 years flying all over the world for TWA, Saudia Airlines and Nippon Cargo.  Along the way he met many friends and even more storytellers.

After retiring on the 747 in 1996 from TWA, Bill became involved in the Nevada Civil Air Patrol and Search and Rescue, a division of the U.S. Air Force.  He flew through the ranks and was a Cadet Lieutenant Colonel and leader of this organization for many years.  Bill had also been a volunteer fireman with the Tahoe Douglas County Fire Department when he was younger and then currently has served as a trustee member for them and was the president until his departure.  His goal had been to complete his elected position with the fire department in December of 2022.

Bill loved life!  He lived at least three in the one given to him.  He was an avid traveler, hiker of all the big mountains, scuba diver, champion whistler and corvette lover who raced with friends and his daughter Kris well over 160 m.p.h. From climbing Kilimanjaro, water skiing behind a Cessna, or drinking a beer on top of the Great Pyramid, he was up for an adventure. He always had a smile for everyone, especially the ladies (wink) and would give you the shirt off of his back.  His service to his country, career and his community speaks volumes, and he will be extremely missed in all of his social clubs, organizations, friend groups and mostly by his family and his children.  We know you are in the left seat somewhere and flying towards a spectacular horizon.

A time for sharing of memories and offering condolences to the family will be on Thursday, September 15, 2022, from 4:00 to 6:00 pm at Peck and Peck Funeral Homes, 7749 S. Main Street, Pine Plains, New York.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday at 10:00 am from St. Joseph’s Church, Millbrook, New York. Interment with military honors will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery.

Lake Tahoe service will be held Monday October 3, 2022, 4 p.m. at St. John’s In the Wilderness Episcopal Church, Glenbrook, Nevada. You may also join us for Sushi, Sake and Stories TBD

In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to the Tahoe Douglas County Fire Department towards their fire helicopter. Please contact Tahoe Douglas County Fire Department or donate on our gofundme site: https://gofund.me/29176072