More detail on this person: Lt. Col. William
Frye (Ret.) William H. Frye, "Bill" or "PapPap,"
as he was known to family and friends, of Los
Osos, Calif., passed away peacefully Thursday,
May 28, 2015, with his youngest son and wife of
fifty years by his side. He was born in a
Pennsylvania Army hospital in March 1933, and
volunteered for the draft in 1953. Notably, Bill
was a platoon leader in an Assault Helicopter
Company in Vietnam from 1966-67, piloting
troop-carrying helicopters and gunships earning
two Presidential Unit Citations for Valor. After
twenty years of honorable and decorated service
that took Lt. Col. Frye all over the world filling
unique, aviation-specific and engineering
assignments, Bill went back to school for a second
degree. He earned his teaching certificate from
the University of Idaho and then taught 20th
Century U.S. History and U.S. and State
Government for twelve years at Moscow Senior High
School in Idaho. The immense influence Bill had on
his pupils' lives was apparent when former
students would return home from college and thank
him for the insights and knowledge he taught them.
During both careers, Bill was able to satisfy his
passion for traveling and experiencing the world.
Along with his wife Joanne, he peeked at Lenin in
Red Square, saw the Taj Mahal by moonlight and
celebrated New Year's Eve at Raffles in Singapore,
just to name a few. Throughout it all, his keen
memory lent itself to detailed and animated
stories of historical events mixed with his own
experiences and observations at each site. He was
the kind of storyteller who stopped you in your
tracks; hours of listening and reliving adventures
seemed like mere moments. Bill was also a true
lover of nature and all living creatures. A simple
walk from a parking lot to a restaurant could take
an hour if there was a dog to pet on the way. He
loved sitting by the water with family to watch
the otters play or listen to the sea lions bark.
Once a meal was complete, there were always
seagulls to feed with smuggled french-fries or
more dogs to meet as new people walked by. After
properly greeting any fluffy creature, Bill talked
with the owners in a way that proved he truly
cared. Bill never met a stranger. He was also an
avid reader who enjoyed Cicero and Elmore Leonard
and everything in between. Some of the greatest
memories that his children and grandchildren share
are the times he read them to sleep in his
animated voice, making Tolkien come alive. He was
a walking encyclopedia, but you would never know
it unless you asked an obscure question. In the
morning, he would complete crossword puzzles
with a singular focus and fervor. Thousands of
hours were spent counting "fifteen-twos and a pair
make four" during one of his favorite pastimes of
playing cribbage with family and friends. Bill
married Helen Hammersberg in 1955 in Carlisle,
Pa., and together they had three children. After
seven years of marriage, Helen lost her brave
fight against breast cancer at the age of 27.
Several years later, Bill met and married Joanne
Cameron in St. Louis. She has been by his side for
fifty years as wife, best friend and confidant,
and loving mother to his children. Bill and Joanne
settled in Los Osos in 1990 after heading south to
escape the cold Idaho winters and have loved
living there ever since. They quickly made a home
and became part of the community, volunteering for
more than 20 years with the Los Osos public
library, helping at the National History Museum,
ringing Christmas bells for the Salvation Army and
joining several community groups. Bill
particularly loved playing cribbage with the RAMS.
Embodying the true definition of a "fan," Bill
planned his Fall around the Cal Poly home football
game schedule and could be seen jumping and
cheering with the best of them. Bill Frye is
survived by his loving wife, Joanne; son, William
R. "Bill" (wife Sharon) of Camas, Wash.; daughter,
Katharine Hittle of Nyssa, Ore.; son, James of Los
Osos, Calif., and five grandchildren: Jenna
Hanson, Kristen Fransman, Erin, Andrew and
Alisha Hittle and five great-grandchildren. Bill
was kind and brave and a true gentleman who will
be extraordinarily missed by all who knew him. At
Bill's request, there will be no service; a bench
will be donated in his name to the Morro Bay walk.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his
name to the Los Osos Public Library or Central
Coast Hospice. Sign his guestbook at
sanluisobispo.com/obituaries
Published in San Luis Obispo Tribune on June 3,
2015
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
Please send additions or corrections to: HQ@vhpa.org VHPA Headquarters
Return to the Helicopter Pilot DAT name list
Return to VHPA web site
Date posted on this site: 10/23/2024
Copyright © 1998 - 2024 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association