William Elisha Parady

1933 - 2021

Known to friends as Bill, he passed away on December 22, 2021. Born in Maine on March 19, 1933, he was the 2nd of 11 children. Bill and his siblings say they didn't realize they were poor until later in life, because there was always so much love in their home. At 19, Bill joined the Air Force and served honorably during the Korean War. After his tour, he found a home at NASA Langley, where he loved his job and the people he worked with for 35 years. In being awarded NASA's Exceptional Service Medal, his dedication to and direct involvement in the instrumentation design and planning phases of most of the major flight programs conducted at NASA-Langley Research Center was noted.

The only thing he loved more than his job was his family. Bill and his wife, Barbara, were married on May 14,1960 and bought a home in Hampton where they raised their three children, Craig, Brad, and Tracie. Bill's children and grandchildren will remember him as a kind and gentle man, who was defined by honesty, loyalty, and unconditional love. He constantly expressed gratitude for his life and some of the simplest things brought him tremendous pleasure. His perseverance and resilience throughout his life will continue to be an inspiration to all who knew him.

He is preceded in death by his son Brad and survived by his wife, Barbara, son Craig, daughter Tracie, grandchildren Conor, Nicholas, Zachary, Taylor, and Brocke, sisters Minnie Spiggle, Susan Brown, and Virginia Black, brothers Albert and Kenny and other extended family.

A graveside service will be held at Washington Memorial Park in Sandston, VA on January 2nd at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations to the Peninsula Food Bank, a cause that was near and dear to Bill's heart.