Bill Spadafora

I never met Bill, but I always enjoyed looking at his two plans for the Wernher von Braun Space Shuttle in the NARTS collected plans for CMASS. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

I'm sorry for Bill's genetic family as well as his adopted (anyone who ever went to CMASS) family. Bill was one of those rare guys, never a negative word. His plumbing parts pads will be only part of his legacy. He was one of the most giving guys you'd ever meet - and never expected anything in return.

RIP, Bill

My condolences. it is a big loss for the community.

Very sad news - the rocketry community in general and NAR is specific has suffered a great loss. I always enjoyed and looked forward to his posts about new motor certifications and about some of the inner workings of S&T. I was fortunate to actually meet him in person at the last Cincinnati NARAM - he was friendly and very kind to take a bit of time out to talk to a NARAM newbie! Godspeed, Bill and RIP.

This one hits me hard.
Bill was the heart and soul of many of my rocketry experiences.
Smart, wise, generous, and humble. Always ready to help or to share a laugh.
Someone I deeply respected and admired. Irreplaceable.
I'll miss you, Bill.

KennB said:

We received word this morning from his family that Bill Spadafora (TRF handle billspad) passed away last night.

When we receive information about any arrangements, they will be posted here.

This is a big loss for our hobby as Bill was not only the President of the CMASS club in NAR but was also involved deeply with S&T, TARC and various other programs.

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I knew him for such a short time. He was my section chief. We completed project together this spring, and I knew he was battling health issues for some time, and it makes me very sad to say the least. I'm lucky to have spent the time with him and wish he were still here. I am going to miss him for as long as live.

Very sad. I recall exchanging emails back in 2001-02 when Bill was still running NARTS and then meeting him at NARAM-46. He seemed like a great guy, and I had hoped to run into him again in the future.

This is awful news. Bill was a great mentor and one heck of a club president. The loss to his family and to the hobby is immeasurable. Reach for the sky Bill.

This is an awful shock to everyone who knew Bill. Unbelievable grief for his family. So sudden.

I first met Bill at NARAM-35. He was always willing to step up and volunteer, help everybody he could, and do so with a smile and his cheerful wit. At one NARAM when I got in late and didn't have a room, he gave me the keys to the NARTS hotel room. At another NARAM, I shipped a few models to proxy fly before I got there later in the week, not expected Bill to be one of the people to give me hand, but he did. He even duct-taped the crimped egglofter back together for a qualified flight.

Bill cared about the hobby, doing so many things behind the scenes, as others have given testimonial to here. NARTS, NAR S&T, TARC, SLI, CMASS, NARAM equipment, and mentoring many people. This is certainly sad news for so many. :-( But, so many happy memories for those who knew him!

Eternal rest Bill. Condolences and prayers for his family.

Thanks for posting this kenn. It is truly heart wrenching news. As if it hasn't been said enough here already, Bill was one of the good guys. When I moved out of MA, the thing i missed most was not to be able to spend a couple Tuesday nights a month at Bills pad. the thought that it will be no more...I am honored to have been fortunate enough to partipate at all. Condolences to his family and all that knew him.

I have been thinking about this since i read it the other day. I am sad that the rocketry community lost someone who put so much of his personal effort and time into the hobby. His passing will be felt directly and indirectly by all of the people who fly in the northeast for many years to come.

My condolences to his family and friends.

I'm kinda choked up-Bill was an amazing person and will be missed by all. My condolences to everyone who knew him personally and were lucky enough to have him in their lives. R.I.P. Bill.

So sorry to hear, I never met him but all spoke of him highly and was great asset to model rocketry. My condolences to his family and friends .

fyrwrxz said:

I'm kinda choked up-Bill was an amazing person and will be missed by all.

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You are not alone, I have not owned a cloth handkerchief since i was in high school, I am on my way to buy at least one 3 pack.

There are going to be a lot of teary eyed missile men, in that funeral on Wednesday.

Very,very sad news.

R.I.P.

Howard and Kenn both suggested that those attending the funeral service wear club insignia shirts. So, all who have them are encouraged to wear your NAR, CMASS, MMMSC, etc. club shirts.

My wife, who was widowed when I met her, likes the idea as it will let Bill's widow know your connection with Bill and help her either recognize you or have a reference as to who you are.

My wishes go out to Bill's family and I'm very saddened by this loss.

Bill helped me with my L1 and many other rockets, and he was great with the kids at CMASS launches. A big loss for everyone.

We have lost a leader, a mentor and a friend. My condolences and prayers to Bill's family and all his CMASS brothers and sisters.

Sad to hear. Prayers for family and friends.

I 'met' Bill on Doug Pratt's old ModelNet forum on CompuServe back in '89, and I'm pretty sure that it was he that simply, out of the blue, sent me a copy of three-views of the Argo D-4 Javelin back in 1990 when I was thinking of building the FSI kit for NARAM-32 Scale. I probably crossed paths with him at two or three NARAMs before we actually met at the 2005 Cincy NARAM. I asked him about the pad heads that were on the contest range, and within a couple of weeks or so, he shipped me one, free of charge. The last time I saw him was at the Cincy NARAM of 2011, when I broke a fin on my Saturn IB and in frustration announced that I wasn't going to fly it. He gave me a withering look that said "Man up and fly it!" So of course I did.

I raise a SpadPad to his memory.

Being new to CMASS I didn't know Bill well, but I am sad that I won't get to know him better.

Bill will be missed. His dedication to our sport through the years has been immense. It was a pleasure to fly with CMASS under his watch. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones.

Mike & Patty Crupe
MAC Performance Rocketry

Bill,
I hope you have forum access where you are and can see all the messages.
You are missed. And the hobby has now changed.
We all know you will be watching for sparkies.
The first misfire we will know....
Robert

Bill was a kind hearted and straight talking guy to the core.

Paying forward generously to the end.
Bill's last post on the CMASS forum was to announce how my son's TARC team did in the finals: "The Gentle Folk came in a very respectable 16th"

He also had a very sharp sense of humor.
Earlier when that same team attempted a spin stabilized finless rocket, BIll commented "The rocket flew great until it remembered it had no fins".

Bill managed somehow to successfully launch small rockets that started off immersed in water. He also did many cool hybrid and odd roc flights.
He enjoyed being the man on the RC safety ejection charge on a couple of clustered and staged flights.

I liked and respected Bill very much, and will miss him a lot.
We lost a giant.

I just heard of our loss yesterday. I've been kicked in the chest.

Bill was brilliant, creative, witty, full of good humor and great quips, with a positive, can-do outlook. He was generous of his time and resources to those in need, whether he knew them well or not. Definitely a "giver" more than a "taker", living "pay forward". He was an inspirational guy in so many ways. For me he was the heart and hands of CMASS, and, I suspect, just about any organization he was involved in.

Bill made the world a better place, and it is clearly poorer without him.

I am shocked and saddened by this terrible news.

Bill Personified "paying forward" in a way that we really don't see often enough.

I was always particularly impressed by the way that at a CMASS launch, where we routinely get over 300 flights, he would always make time to help out the newbe dad trying to set up his kids' rocket for the 1st time.

I was one of those dads.

Thanks, Bill

Joel Parness

Was saddened to hear the news this past weekend while we were at NSL... Bill was a wonderful, bright and funny guy who really loved this hobby and the people in it... I'll miss seeing him and spending time with him...

Fly high my friend!

It was so fitting that Bill was laid to rest wearing a CMASS shirt, along with a pair of channel lock pliers and a V2 model in WSMR pen stripe colors.
It captured his spirit simply and with elegance.

John