William Robert Currier
"Bill"
Click the thumbnails to enlarge
Our very good friend and fellow club member, William "Bill" Currier, took his final flight on Thursday, June 23rd, 2005. He died in the crash of a RANS S-10, which he was test flying, on that fateful day at Perry International Airport, near Wagner, SC. He will be sincerely missed by all who knew him.
George Flanagan, an airline captain and a friend and neighbor of Bill's located at Gilbert International Airpark, wrote the following poem in remembrance of Bill:
My Final Flight
By:
George Flanagan
My Final Flight ... It took away my life
Leaving behind my family, and my loving wife
Little did I know ... as I awoke that
fateful morning
I'd leave this earth forever, with hardly any warning
As I dressed, and had my coffee ... on
that 23rd of June
I never even considered ... I'd be gone
... before twelve noon
It was just another Thursday ...
like most any other day
Should I go play some golf? ... Or, with airplanes, should I play?
I headed down to the airfield ... to have
some flying fun
A simple little 'test-hop' ... with a
high-speed 'taxi-run'
Suddenly, I'm airborne! ... things aren't
quite just right
I need to find a place to land ... and
safely end my plight
I've almost got the runway made ...
it shouldn't be much longer
Please God! ... Help me now! ... Give me strength! ... Make me stronger!
Now, all of my days are done ... no
longer do I have tomorrow
I never got to say "good-bye" ... or tell
you "have no sorrow"
For I was doing what I love ... few men,
even dare to try
To live a life as full as mine ... So now, with the angels ... I fly.
Tailwinds my friend ... Until we meet again.
Click on the little plane below to read the poem "High Flight".
We believe
that Bill would have expressed similar feelings about why he loved flying.
For more photos and fond memories of Bill, click on the cross below:
We miss you, Bill