William "Bill" Bosma III, 74, of Hamilton Township, NJ passed peacefully into eternal rest at his home on December 15, 2025.He was born in Paterson, NJ to William Bosma Jr. and Anna Doorn Bosma.

Predeceased by his parents and his sister Carol Bosma Stein, he is survived by his wife of 48 years, Helen Heykoop Bosma; his sister, Kristine Bosma Pepper; his daughter, Sara Lewis (Chris), and his grandsons, William, Joseph, and Jack, whom he affectionately called “the Lads.”

Bill graduated from Eastern Christian Schools and the Newark College of Engineering. He earned his private pilot’s license at the age of 16. While in college he joined the ROTC. Bill was commissioned by the United States Air Force in 1973, training at Columbus A.F.B., Mississippi. He was stationed at McGuire A.F.B. where he flew the C141 Starlifter for 6 years with the 6th MAS. Afterwards, he was a reservist for 15 years with the 702nd and 335th Squadrons, retiring in 1994.

Bill’s commercial pilot career began in 1983 with People Express (later Continental) and continued in 1988 with USAir (later American Airlines). He retired in 2016, but he continued in the field of aviation as a flight instructor at the Flying W Airport. Accumulating nearly 30,000 hours of flight time, Bill received the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award for 50 years of aviation safety.

Known for his sense of humor and infectious laugh, Bill enjoyed spending time with his family and friends and vacationing in Venice, Florida. His favorite hobbies included reading and photography, and he had an extensive collection of aviation artwork, literature, and model airplanes.

A funeral service will be held privately. A memorial service is planned for a future date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the VFW, at www.vfw.org where Bill was a lifetime member.