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Bill's obituary

William "Bill" Blanchard, beloved father, grandfather, and friend, passed away on December 7, 2022.

A native of Washington, Bill lived throughout the western United States as a child. He graduated from Fortuna Union High School and matriculated at Stanford University when he was 16, where he received his bachelor's, master's, and PhD.

Bill met the love of his life, Gloria, while working on his PhD at Stanford. They were married in 1971, and welcomed daughter Kayla in 1974 and son Brian in 1977. Bill and Gloria lived together in the Sunnyvale home that he affectionately referred to as "The Rockpile" until she preceded him in death, and he continued to live in the home until the end of his life.

Bill traveled extensively during his career in the aerospace industry and outside of it, having visited 6 of the 7 continents. He was also a passionate sports fan, with his most beloved teams being the 49ers, the SF Giants, and the Stanford Cardinal.

Bill is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Kayla & Kevin Simon, and son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren, Brian, Gretchen, Will, Lindsey, and Andrew Blanchard. Services were held on December 16, 2022. Donations can be made in Bill's memory to Pathways Home Health and Hospice of Sunnyvale.

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William "Bill" Blanchard