William "Bill" Eichhorn

William "Bill" Eichhorn passed away on September 6, 2024, at his home in Bowie, MD, at the age of 78. Born on November 13, 1945, in Fort Benning, GA, growing up in Massapequa, Ny. Bill led a rich and impactful life. He dedicated over 50 years to NASA as a Lead Optical Engineer in which he played key roles in the development of instrumentation for COBE (FIRAS) and the Hubble servicing missions, including leading the highly successful NASA Goddard Independent Verification Team for HST, not to mention support to many other projects. Bill set the example for modest excellence, integrity, hard work, perseverance, and best practice in his field and was a lead engineer, mentor, teammate, Group Leader, and role model to engineers in the Branch, at NASA partner institutions, and beyond. He served as an emeritus for NASA after retiring and worked as an independent contractor and employee for Genesis Engineering for a total of 9 years.

Bill was not only accomplished in his professional life but also excelled in his personal passions. He was a respected 6th degree black belt instructor at Tompkins Karate Studio and maintained proficiency in five languages. His love for music was evident through his skills as a classical guitarist.

A man of gentle demeanor and boundless patience, Bill was a devoted husband to his wife, Diana Eichhorn, and a loving father to Christopher Richards and his wife April and Sarah Eichhorn-Lynch and her husband Adam. He was a cherished grandfather to Lucy, Finn, Liam Richards, and Eleanor Lynch. Bill is also survived by his brothers, Doug Eichhorn and his wife Debbie of Idaho, and Gary Eichhorn Sr. of Florida, and brother-in-law Robert Havle of North Carolina.

Bill's life will be celebrated with a viewing on Friday, September 13, 2024, from 5-7 PM, and a funeral service on Saturday, September 14, 2024, at 2 PM. Both services will be held at:

St. George's Episcopal Church,

7010 Glenn Dale Rd, Glenn Dale, MD 20769.

Bill's legacy as a kind and loving father, grandfather, friend, and mentor will be remembered by all who knew him.