William Jessup

William A. Jessup was born June 17, 1916 at Oswego, Illinois to Caroline Sorensen and William Jessup Sr. He learned to fly at the age of eight on the family farm. During barnstorming days, Bill and his father flew to county fairs giving airplane rides for a penny a pound.

In World War II, Jessup instructed at Coleman Flying School and joined the newly formed Air Transport Command where he was rated in nearly every kind of airplane the U.S. Army Air Forces flew. He ferried medium bombers to as far away as Alaska and Abadan, Iran. The final year of the war, Jessup was stationed in Nome, Alaska where he flew Air, Sea, Rescue, in a Catalina PBY and was later Flight Commander of Malden Air Base, Missouri during the Korean War.

Returning to Texas in the 1950s, Jessup began corporate flying with Permian Mudd, Odessa, and L.R. French of Midland. In 1981, he retired as pilot with Joseph E. Seagrams, Co., White Plains, New York. Longtime friends Harold Vroman, Maury Rush, and Jessup began Sky West Ranch, airport located South of Midland. Bill was a member of the West Texas Flyers, EAA, and a charter member of the AOPA.

Bill Jessup loved airplanes and a good story. His career spanned from barnstorming days to flying Grumann G2 corporate jets.

He is preceded in death by his first wife, Marian, and Lenora Rogers Jessup, and is the beloved father of Karl, Richard wife Betty and Carol. Bill is survived by five grandchildren Deborah, Brian wife Anna, Todd, Jeff wife Melissa, and Torre Stellflug husband Karl and nine great grandchildren Devin, Hunter, Kaleigh, Samantha, Cassidy, Jordan, Peyton, Sophia, and Nicholas.

Funeral services are scheduled for 11:00 AM Saturday, December 29, 2012 at Sunset Funeral Home Chapel with Jimmy Braswell officiating. Burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens.

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