William George "Bill" Friedrich

William "Bill" Friedrich, 90, of Nashua, NH died on Thursday, January 15, 2026. He was born October 12, 1935, to the late William Friedrich and Susan (Krauter) Friedrich.

Educated in Delaware, Maryland and North Carolina schools. Graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC - 1961.

Upon graduation, Bill enlisted in the US Navy, entered the Naval Preflight training program at Pensacola, FL. A Vietnam veteran, Bill served as an aviator aboard US aircraft carriers stationed off the coast of North Vietnam in the Gulf of Tonkin. He made two wartime deployments to the Gulf flying missions over N. Vietnam.

Bill remained in the Naval Reserves after active duty ultimately transferring to the Army National Guard where he served as an Army helicopter pilot. He retired with over 30 years of combined active, reserve and Army National Guard service. Bill retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

Leaving active duty in 1968, Bill embarked on a 45 plus year career in civilian commercial aviation. He was employed at Piper Aircraft Corporation and two airlines no longer existing. Bill also flew for a number of corporate & commercial operators including MIT/Lincoln Laboratories based at Hanscom Field in Massachusetts as a senior research pilot. He completed his full time career employed by the Federal Aviation Administration as an operations safety inspector.

Upon retiring, Bill continued to work part time until 2007 as a pilot flying smaller business jets and turboprop aircraft for corporate and charter operators in the Boston, Nashua and Manchester area.

Bill leaves his wife, Karen Friedrich, of State College, PA; a former wife, Martha Friedrich, of Gainesville, FL. He has two children. Lance Friedrich, a son, of Miami, FL; his daughter, Brooke Lovaas, of Eugene, OR; two grandchildren, Mira and Cole Lovaas, also of Eugene, OR.

SERVICES: A visitation will be held on Tuesday January 20, 2026 from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. at the Davis Funeral Home, 1 Lock Street, Nashua, NH, with a service to be held at 5:00 p.m. Burial will take place at a later date at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne, MA. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Arrangements are in the care of the Davis Funeral Home, 1 Lock Street, Nashua, NH (603) 883-3401. An online guestbook is available at www.davisfuneralhomenh.com. "ONE MEMORY LIGHTS ANOTHER."