Bill had 35 years of active service in the U.S. Air Force, beginning in 1957. At the time of his marriage in 1960, he was serving at the Lackland Base in Texas. He later was stationed at the Myrtle Beach AFB in South Carolina. By 1970, he was serving in the Vietnam War at the Bien Hoa Air Base. In 1971, William was promoted to staff sargeant as a medical technician assigned to the dispensary at the Bien Hoa Base. He advanced through the Air Force Medical Service Corps and in 1972 was situated at Patrick AFB in Florida. By 1980, he was a medical training evaluation officer at Sheppard AFB in Texas. He was then active in several high profile operations for the strategic placement of Air Transportable Hospitals (ATH) and the coordination of medical evacuation and treatment of wounded service personnel. From European Command, he provided support for the Beirut hostage crisis and Operation Desert Storm. By 1985, William attained the rank of Major and was stationed in Washington, D.C., with the Medical Readiness Division.

Following retirement from active duty, Bill became a nursing home administrator in northern Idaho, and then became Administrator of the Idaho State Veterans Nursing Home in Meridian. He was an accomplished keyboard player, and loved hunting, fishing, sports and military history.