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Bill Holman
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Lt. Col. William S. (Bill) Holman, a retired U.S. Atomic Energy
Commission nuclear engineer who in 1969 headed development of
seismometer heaters which made possible NASA’s Apollo 11 mission to
the moon, has died. He was 89.
He was among those in Mission Control during the historic moon
landing and had retired from the AEC in 1978.
A longtime civic leader in the Fayette community, Holman died at
his home at 2:30 a.m. Sunday following an apparent heart attack. He
had been in declining health in recent years.
Holman (USAF-Ret.) served with the U.S. Army Air Forces during
World War II where he flew bombing missions as a navigator. After
the war he completed college studies and in 1949 joined the (then)
new U.S Air Force and later was chosen as one of 14 officers for the
first Air Force Thermonuclear Weapons Assembly Team. He also worked
in military intelligence. In 1966 he joined the Department of Energy
after retiring from the Air Force.
A native of Callao, Holman came to Fayette in 1941 as a freshman
at what is now Central Methodist University, receiving his degree in
physics in 1947 and later earning a master’s in nuclear physics from
the University of Illinois. He has been the recipient of numerous
honors including a Distinguished Alumni Award from CMU in 1993.
He and the former Martha Rogers were married in 1986 and that
year returned to her hometown of Fayette. Over the years they were
involved in countless facets of community life here. She survives,
in addition to four children and four step-children.
A celebration of life service is set for 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec.
16, at Faith Family Church in Fayette. Members of the family will
welcome friends in their home (700 N. Church) Saturday from 2 to 6
p.m. and also after the church service. Private burial of cremated
remains will take place at a later date.
Donations are suggested to the Fayette Ministerial Alliance
and/or the Holman Scholarship at CMU.
Jim Steele
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