William "Bill" Paul Winfree

Bill, as he was known, was born in Washington, D.C., on March 9, 1951, to William and Isabella Winfree. One of seven children, he was the only son, growing up with six sisters.

He graduated magna cum laude from George Mason University in 1973, where he was recognized as an outstanding undergraduate in mathematics and physics by the department. He went on to earn his master’s degree and, in 1978, his doctorate in physics from the College of William & Mary. It was there, while a Ph.D. student, that he met Barbara Jean Burkett (Barb), who worked in the physics department. They went on to share 47 years of marriage.

Bill spent his career at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, where, over more than 40 years, he became a leading figure in nondestructive evaluation – the science of inspecting aircraft and spacecraft for flaws without having to take them apart. He rose to lead the center’s Nondestructive Evaluation Sciences Branch and was a pioneer in the use of heat and infrared imaging to reveal weaknesses invisible to the eye. In the years after the loss of the shuttle Columbia, he helped return the shuttle fleet safely to flight. In 2006, a thermal inspection method he helped develop was carried into orbit for the first such test ever performed in space.

With humility, Bill gave his working life to doing his part to make sure the machines that carried people into the sky and beyond were safe to fly.

Faith was at the center of Bill’s life. For many years, he was a member of the Williamsburg Christadelphian Ecclesia, and for the past decade he worshiped with the Richmond Chapel.

More than anything, Bill believed that the best hours in life were those spent with the people he loved. He learned that early, growing up in a large family of siblings and cousins whose company he cherished throughout his life. Through it all, Barb was his person and the steady heart of the life they built together. He was immensely proud of their three children and loved them deeply. His greatest treasures were his grandchildren and had a special tenderness with the babies. Above all, Bill was always there when anyone needed him, dependable and sure, the person the whole family knew they could lean on.

He is survived by his wife, Barb; their three children, Paul (Jade), Adam (Julie), and Emily Fenstermacher (Phil); and their five grandchildren, Amos, Ezra, Cora, Jonah, and Adelaide.

A memorial service will be held at Nelsen’s Funeral Home on September 4, 2026, at 11 am.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the National Park Foundation or the Williamsburg Christadelphian Foundation.