William R. Wakeland

William Richard Wakeland, age 100, passed away on Monday, August 29, 2022, in San Antonio, Texas. Married for more than 76 years to his wife Gloria (“Sissy”) and father of four children, seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, Bill was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and Naval Aviator. CAPT Wakeland was a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and WWII combat veteran who was awarded the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 7 battle stars while serving as the Assistant Navigator aboard the battleship USS South Dakota during the war. At the war’s end, he was assigned to flight school, completing his carrier qualifications at NAS Corpus Christi where he met his wife, Sissy. Qualified in over 15 different Naval aircraft he broke the speed of sound (F9F-8T) and became a member of the “Royal Order of the Mach” on August 29, 1957. As a Commander, he was assigned to NASA in 1962 and directed by the CNO via personal note to “Figure out how the Navy can use space.” Later, while Professor of Engineering at Trinity University and Head of the Electrical Engineering Department at Lamar University, he would jokingly tell others, “Yeah, the GPS system? That was me in ’62.” An outstanding golfer, he carried a handicap of no more than 4 until age 65 when he, “Just started losing distance.” Bill broke his age on the course more than 160 times and played so long that he could hit the ball farther than he could see it. Bill’s final words were, “Sissy, I love you forever.” CAPT Bill Wakeland, USN will be missed greatly, but his contributions to the United States will live on through his progeny, and all other Americans that serve their families, communities, and country.

GRAVESIDE SERVICEMONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 202210:15 AMFORT SAM HOUSTON NATIONAL CEMETERY1520 HARRY WURZBACH RD.

CAPT Richard E. Wakeland, USN (Ret) will officiate. Interment with Full Military Honors will take place. In lieu of flowers, open your check books and while writing out your donation to the charity of your choice, think about how lucky you are to live in the United States of America.