William F Hubler

Bill was born at his grandmothers house in Caldwell, Idaho February 3, 1930 to Floyd Franklin (Frank) Hubler and Laura Faith Wright Hubler.
Bill attended grade school at Sunny Slope and also Halfway, Oregon. He graduated high school at Caldwell, Idaho in 1948 then joined the Idaho National Guard and was discharged 9/26/1949 when he moved to Mallot, Washington. Bill married Betty Horrace on 2/6/1949. They had five boys: Robert William, Terry Michael, Gary Dean, Daniel Lee, and Bruce Franklin.
Bill worked for his father at Sunny Slope. Then Bill & Betty moved to Malott, Washington with his folks where they bought a ranch. Bill & Bettys first two sons were born while they were there. Then Bill & Betty moved to a 40 acre farm by Marsing, Idaho where Gary was born. After that Bill ran a service station in Boise, Idaho. Next they moved to Nampa, Idaho where Bill was a plumber for the next eleven years. While doing that Bill got his pilots license and built a house. While they were there, the last two boys were born. Finally they moved to their present location outside of Caldwell, Idaho. They built another house and an airport with hangers and shops. Bill got more flying ratings: flight instructor, commercial single & multi-engine planes, rotor craft helicopter instrument, A&P mechanic & inspector authorization.
Bill took his family to Fort Benning, Georgia where he was a flight instructor for the military, then moved back to Caldwell where he started flying for Clarks Flying Service in Nampa as a spray pilot. In 1979 Bill & his son Gary bought Davisons Flying Service and they both flew spray planes eventually changing the name to Valley Air Service. Dan Hubler also flew with them until he died. Bruce took over Valley Air Service after Gary died, running the business and flying spray planes, later retiring and selling the business that is currently run on the same airport Bill built.
Meanwhile, Bill and Betty enjoyed many adventures on their sailboat, traveling in their GMC motorhomes, and going on cruises. They were able to travel to many states and countries. It was never enough for Bill. He read and studied about everything he did all his life. Bill was a member of several associations including: QBs, the Elks, NAAA, Reno Formula One race group, and GMC motorhome groups. He was a longtime ag aviation industry veteran. Bill was a true pioneer in the field, known for his groundbreaking work in night spraying during the late 1960s. Under his leadership, Valley Air Service introduced a range of innovations, including wing extensions for a Thrush model, and turbine conversions for both Dromader and Thrush aircraft. He designed the firewall forward on the sprayplanes, long wings on the Thrushes, a great wing on the race plane. In 2009 he won the Agrinaut award from the National Agriculture Aviation Association. Always the inventor, he also created many useful parts for GMC motorhomes and his sailboat. He put a diesel engine in his GMC and rebuilt his sail boat "The Spirit of Two." He was the smartest man most of us knew.
Bill is survived by his wife Betty; his sons: Robert (Bob) Willam (Nelda Shimer), Terry Michael, Bruce Franklin (Becky Marchbanks); and daughters-in-law Debbie Hubler Harris and Diann Hubler Huter; his sisters: Lee Lobb, Molly Waddell Mollerup, and Joye Vance Meyer; his many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and all the various adopted family members that we love. He was preceded in death by his parents Frank and Laura Hubler, brother Bob Hubler Wright, sister Midge Nafsinger, sons Gary Dean Hubler & Daniel Lee Hubler, and grandson Jon Hubler. With all that, his family was the most important thing in his life. He was an inspiration to his sons and was always there for them, his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He will be deeply missed by so many.
The funeral will be held at Dakan Funeral Chapel in Caldwell, Idaho on Tuesday, May 6th at 2 pm.