Bill's Story
Bill’s Childhood
Bill Conway grew all over the Pacific Northwest. He was born in Montana, but he moved around the region within the states of Washington, Oregon, and California, where he spent the majority of his childhood.
His father was a logger and forester so they were always in the mountains, experiencing 16 moves by the time Bill graduated high school. This gave Bill many opportunities that many don’t get to experience when growing up. Bill camped in the mountains during the summers, fished and rafted in the lake, and went skiing in the winters. Bill recalls fond memories like playing cards during Thanksgiving in Montana and witnessing a helicopter used in logging operations. Throughout his life, Bill has maintained a deep love for the mountains and outdoor adventures.
Later Life
Bill spent two summers maintaining parts of the Pacific Crest Trail for the US Forest Service, though there was an incident where he directed his boss into a swarm of bees.
As he lived in a woodsy environment, Bill got involved in forest fire operations, including flying in air tankers. After graduating high school in 1986, Bill went to school to become an A&P, or an aviation mechanic, at Kings River Community College (now Reedley College), where he gained experience working on small planes and even an F-105 fighter jet in a 2-year program.
Employment
After graduating with his A&P license, Bill moved to Kalispell City in Montana, where he worked at the airport working on small planes, before moving back to California to work at a propeller repair facility and the Redding Airport. Bill eventually went on to go back to school for computers, leading to a fulfilling 26-year career with State Farm, which is how he ended up in Central Illinois.
Involvement in the PAM
After moving to Central Illinois in 1998, a friend of Bill’s introduced him to the museum and its members. When the president of the museum discovered that Bill was an A&P, he was quick to ask Bill to join PAM. He became a more active member in 2001 and has been involved with the museum since.
Over the years, Bill has traveled to all 50 states, 14 foreign countries, 7 provinces of Canada, and the Yukon Territory.
Mount Shasta
Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, Bill developed an interest in climbing mountains. One of his greatest personal accomplishments was climbing Mount Shasta. Bill and his family and friends began their journey by ascending the Bunny Flat. The trip would take two days, and they would need to spend the night on the mountain. They camped at the base of the old vent cone, at about 12,000 feet in elevation. As they camped above the clouds, Bill recalls the moon being so bright that it seemed as though someone was shining a light into his tent while he tried to sleep that night. He also remembers hearing a plane, but when he looked around, he realized it wasn’t flying above them — it was below them, because of how high up they were. On the second day, Bill and his group ascended the steep right side of Whitney Glacier to reach the summit. There, they took in the breathtaking views at 14,163 feet above sea level.
