WILLIAM JOSEPH HOOKER died January 18, 2019, just three weeks after celebrating his 87th birthday with family in Mooresville, NC. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Judi; his high school sweetheart and first wife, Gladys; his son, Bill, in San Francisco; his daughter, Sue, in Huntersville, NC; daughter-in-law Diane; son-in-law Richard; and four grandchildren and one great-grandchild. He was pre-deceased by his brother Jim and sister Mary.
Bill was a member of Temple Kol Tikvah of Lake Norman, 605 South St., Davidson, NC 28036. The graveside service will take place on Wednesday, January 23rd, 2019, 11 a.m., at Sharon Memorial Park, 5716 Monroe Road, Charlotte, NC. Remembrances and condolences to the family may be sent to the Temple care of Rabbi Michael Shields (above address or [email protected]).
Bill was raised in upstate New York. He took an early interest in science and engineering. He was an avid airplane modeler, in high school winning the State championship in U-Control powered airplane flying. He really spread his wings in higher education. He graduated from Webb Institute, Cornell University, and Caltech (Ph.D. physics, 1958). First jobs as a physicist were with General Electric in Schenectady, NY, and Convair in San Diego. He worked on the Mercury space program and other cutting-edge high tech programs. He has a number of scientific publications and patents. Like many physicists, Bill had an entrepreneurial streak which found expression in his mid- 30s. He co-founded Xonics, a medical device company in Los Angeles that went public. Several companies later, he ended his career as a Senior Fellow for a think tank in Washington D.C. In retirement in Sarasota, FL and Huntersville, NC he volunteered at the University of South Florida, the USO at Charlotte International Airport, and at the family store in Huntersville.
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