Clyde Stoddard Williams Jr.

Oct 20,1933 - Aug 12, 2026

Jets, puddle jumpers, experimental and antique aircrafts … if it had a throttle, USAF Lt. Col Clyde S Williams, Jr. , likely flew it. The Colonel — aka Reno 09 and Grandpa Ace — “slipped the surly bonds of Earth” * on August 12, 2026, dying at age 92.

Clyde’s beloved wife of 69 years, Bunnie, preceded him in death on July 10, 2026.

He is survived by daughters Catherine S Martinez and husband Greg (YT), Dr. Christine L Williams and partner Dr. Martin Button, and Karene I Williams and husband Mark L Jakusovszky, grandchildren Sean Patrick Holland, Claire J Hunt, Colleen L Hunt and husband Will Giglio, great granddaughter Rosemary Hansen, brother-in-law Richard Swiatek, nieces Adrienne and Allision and husband Dennis, plus longtime family friends Phil & Mary, Sherwood & Jane, Carol & Ray, Bruce, Bryan, Dave & Elizabeth, Martin, Kelly & Paul, Yolanda and many more.

One of five sons of Elizabeth (Stoddard) and Clyde Williams, he graduated from Holy Redeemer High School in Detroit and earned a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Detroit.

Newly wed to his high school sweetheart Halina (Bunnie) Swiatek on August 17, 1957, Clyde was soon commissioned in the Air Force and stationed at Randolph AFB, Texas. Initially hired as a civil engineer, he took a job as an aircraft maintenance officer instead, launching a 28-year AF career and logging 7,500 hours of military flight hours.

Clyde loved to fly. His knowledge and experience in flying and maintenance landed him seven assignments in the US and abroad, including chief of quality control at Williams AFB, Arizona, and as an exchange officer with the Colombian and Jordanian air forces.

At 52, Clyde held the distinction of being the oldest functional check flight pilot in the Air Force. After retiring in 1986, he joined DynCorp’s government services group as manager of Aerospace Operations Support Division.

Colonel Williams was awarded the US Congressional Distinguished Flying Cross and several other awards and commendations. He is a veteran of the Vietnam War and served combat missions there in 1965-66.

His love of flying did not end with the military. Clyde logged another 3,000 flight hours in a 1940 and a 1948 Luscombe, plus Beechcraft and Cessna aircrafts, a bi-plane and an experimental aircraft he expertly landed when its propeller broke off in mid-flight over the Arizona desert.

Clyde was a betting man, whether it was on which pilot buddy had the best landing or a friendly wager on MLB’s Diamondbacks and his favorite NFL team, the Detroit Lions.

Clyde, daughter Cathie and husband YT formed the BAMCO corporation and went on frequent “fishing” trips to casinos to play Keno in their matching lucky shirts. Clyde hit the $2500 jackpot in May 2026.

Bunnie and Clyde traveled extensively, including trips to France, Poland, Hawaii, Costa Rica, New Zealand, Alaska and Panama.

They hosted the neighborhood Flamingo Croquet Open, the Super Bowl soup fest, family tennis matches, MG car rallies and the annual Thanksmas reunion where all vied for the Williams Family Cribbage trophy.

Joyful lore abounds. Before his military assignment in Bogota, Colombia, Bunnie and Clyde attended the Defense Language Institute’s 24-month Spanish course. After one exam, Clyde asked his wife why a potato was in the back of the Cadillac? Amused, Bunnie replied that “el Papa” is the Pope in Spanish (la papa is a potato).

Clyde was a history buff, especially World War II. He knew every episode of the Twilight Zone and Perry Mason. He could also recite Dickens’ “Christmas Carol” with ease.

A retired fighter pilot, he was a terrific grandfather to Pitter Pat, Clairebear and Colleeners: listening to old radio shows together (“Let’s Pretend”), exploring on daylong adventures that typically ended at 7-11 for an Icee, making pancakes, squeezing orange juice from his backyard trees, flying in his many planes, riding the lawn mower, floating on Lake Williams on irrigation day. Grandpa Ace was the best of the best to his grandchildren and his great granddaughter Rosie.

Clyde liked potato chips, frosty mugs of beer with ice, rum and cokes, steaks, crossword puzzles and comics, dancing with Bunnie, working on his Karmann Ghia and his honeymoon 1952 MG-TD, going to casinos and riding bikes with his dear friends.

He did not like TV commercials nor any green vegetable.

He was a member of the Order of the Daedalians, the commissioned military pilots association; was past Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus; belonged to the local MG Car Club, the Arizona Roadrunners; and the Luscombe Association of antique aircraft owners (no wood, no nails, no glue).

When very young, his three daughters would march outside their Chandler home, singing one of their father’s favorite pilot songs. Little did they know that "Throw a nickel on the grass" is a military aviation tradition and phrase used to honor fallen fighter pilots.

“Oh, Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Throw a nickel in the sky—Up to Heaven watch him fly

Oh, Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Throw a nickel on the grass and he’ll be saved”

His smile, wry wit and matter-of-fact demeanor will be sorely missed.

* High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth

And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;

Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth

of sun-split clouds,—and done a hundred things

You have not dreamed of—wheeled and soared and swung

High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,

I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung

My eager craft through footless halls of air ....

Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue

I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace

Where never lark, or even eagle flew—

And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod

The high untrespassed sanctity of space,

Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

Copyright Credit: Magee, John Gillespie. "Letter to Parents," September 3, 1941.