Farm boy to Federal Aviation Administration Safety Inspector. William "Bill" Heling led, in his words, an exciting and rewarding life. Bill passed away on November 4, 2023.  Born at home in Lessor Township on February 29, 1940, first son of Maynard and Alice Heling. At the age of three, he drove a tractor for stone picking. At age four, he decided he wanted to be a pilot as every night, he watched a Lockhead L-10A fly over the farm from Clintonville to Green Bay. After eight years in Briarton's grade school, he attended Bonduel High School and graduated in 1958.

On June 5, 1958, he enlisted in the US Army. His basic training was at Fort Riley, Kansas, and he was immediately shipped to Warner Kasern in Munich Germany. He and Beverly Ann Beilfuss were united in marriage on August 23, 1958, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Bonduel.

The following year, Beverly and their son Michal joined him in Munich, where they shared an apartment with another army couple.

After 13 months, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant. This enabled them to travel to 14 foreign countries in their used Volkswagen Beetle. After returning to the United States in 1961, they lived in Briarton and Bill owned and operated a can milk route for three years. He later drove semi before working at the Fort Howard Paper Co.

On August 23, 1966, Bill finally began his long-awaited flying career by taking lessons at the Carter Airport in Pulaski, WI. He soloed 15 days later in a Cessna 150 stating "It only took 2 hours to learn to fly the plane, but 5 more to learn how to land it." His 40-year career in aviation had begun! He studied nightly and quickly picked up ratings of private pilot to multi engine; commercial rating to instrument; finally, flight instructor, all in the span of two years.

In 1968, he purchased part ownership of the Pulaski Airport FBO, where he taught and soloed his first student with pride. He went on to solo 500 students including his wife Beverly, son Mark, brother Carl, and brother-in-law Steve. While at Pulaski, he held a private pilot ground school in the evenings and drove school bus during the day for the Pulaski School District for three years.

In April of 1970, Bill received his Advanced and Instrument rating and Ground Instructor rating. This allowed him to instruct at the Technical College in Green Bay and at Clintonville High School for five years, after a check ride with the FAA he added the Multi-engine instructor certificate.

In 1972, Bill found himself getting acrobatics instruction which he then taught. He then worked on his sea plane and helicopter ratings. The same year he worked with a company flying freight and utilized his Airframe and Power Plant Certificates by working on the engines and fuselage.

Bill continued to hit the books in 1975 when he received his Airline Transport Pilot certificate from a school in Griffin, GA. While he was there, he had the opportunity  to fly the famed Douglas DC-3 from WWII.

In the winter of 1976-1978, he spent his time in Puerto Rico with a commuter airline company. In 1976, he started "Bill's Biplane Business" operating an FBO at the Clintonville Airport with a fleet of 14 airplanes. Bill taught approximately 250 students, who received private or higher rating certificates. During this same time, he was hired by Mid-State Airlines for one year but decided instructing was his more his forte. He continued to teach while buying and selling aircraft.

During the summer of 1982, Bill found himself flying in Lake Iliamna, Alaska, flying a Cessna 206 on floats as a fishing guide.

At the end of December 1982, he closed his FBO operation and spent the winter overhauling engines. By April of 1983, he took an Airport Manger position in Dodge County, WI. There were many responsibilities, but he managed to squeeze in some hot air balloon training as well.

After working for several other companies, he was approached by the FAA to work as a safety inspector at the DuPage Airport in West Chicago. This final step in his career was his favorite, he retired after 8 years. Bill had accrued 21,000 hours in the air. With Bill's love of travel, he planned and took his family on many extended camping trips across the entire U.S. He often reminisced about those fun times and could remember the most remote details, like where we were when Bev found a fake snake in her sleeping bag.

Even after he retired, he was always thinking of helping others in need. Bill was known to spoil his wife with gifts every time he came home, one never knew if it would be a day-old donut or a diamond bracelet. He spent his later years playing with his grandchildren making sure all the baby cars, bicycles, go-carts, and minibikes were in working order. He also volunteered to plow fields for the Amish. Bill visited everyone he knew in the nursing home, and he would visit with those that were lonely. Wisconsin winters were hard on his body, so he went south after Christmas telling his grandkids "I'll be home when the water is running." He often traveled with his good friend Milton Bohm. He also volunteered as a driver for Shawano Social Services for 10 years taking people to their doctor's appointment and hearing about their life stories.

Bill is survived by: Beverly, his wife of 65 years; his three children Michal (Sharon), Micki (Dale) Carlson and Mark (Pam); 8 grandchildren Eric (Gina) Heling, Rudie (Nicki) Heling, Nicole (Derek) Heling, Terilyn (Jake) Robles, Aaron (Afton) Heling, Travis Heling, Cory Carlson Kyle Carlson; his brother Carl Heling; his sister MaryAnn Ciesielczyk. He is further survived by numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents Maynard and Alice; his sister Nancy (Steve) Anderson; his brother-in-law Red Ciesielczyk; his parents-in-law Rudie and Helen Beilfuss.

The family is planning a celebration of life for Bill on Saturday January 27, 2024,  from noon until 6:00 pm at the Town Hall in the Town of Lessor. Military Rites will be conducted by the Bonduel American Legion Post #217 at the town hall at 2:00 pm.  Memorials can be sent to the Swedberg Funeral Home.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to all who took care of Bill in his 33 months at Shawano Health Services. He never complained and always liked the food! The highlight of his week was always being able to attend church services at Zion. Thank you, Pastor Scott Ludford, for making us feel like a part of your flock and helping us through Bill's last hours.

Bill had a deep faith and said he always flew with God as his co-pilot. Have a great flight you two!