William Edward Grogan

William Edward Grogan 1942 -2022 William (Bill) Edward Grogan, 79, of Riverside, California, passed away on January 9, 2022. He is survived by his wife of nearly 56 years, Kathleen Grogan (Turner), and their three children, Bill Grogan (Jennifer), Rick Grogan (Tracy), and Kelly Hales (Chad). He is also survived by grandchildren Zack and Alyssa Grogan; and Aden, Ryan, Benjamin, Cameron, and Madeline Hales. William was born on January 31, 1942, in Breckenridge, Texas, to William Bassil Grogan and Dortha Grogan (Deaver). His family moved to Long Beach, California; throughout his childhood, he enjoyed returning to Texas to visit his grandparents. During his high school years, he was a sports photographer and served on the yearbook staff. Bill graduated from Long Beach Poly High School in the Class of 1959. In 1962, Bill joined the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) and completed his training at USMC Recruit Depot San Diego. Bill served in Vietnam (1965-66 and 1971-72) as a Tactical Air Controller, as a Recruiter (1966-70), Trainer (1972-74), and again as a Tactical Air Controller (1974-84). He earned his Associate Degree in Electronics Technology in 1975 as part of the college degree program while living in Kansas. During his 22 years of service, Bill and his family enjoyed exploring the United States through his assignment relocations: Utah, Pennsylvania, Kansas, California, Hawaii, South Carolina, and ending in California. Through his dedication and diligence, Bill earned the promotion to Master Gunnery Sergeant, the highest enlisted rank in the USMC. Of all his military achievements and awards, Bill was proudest of his Tactical Air Controller of the Year award in 1976, as well as attending and graduating from the U.S. Navy's Top Gun School. The family's relocations allowed Bill to enjoy his passion for fishing in many locations, especially Hawaii, the mountains of Utah, and the shrimping in Beaufort. After retiring from the USMC in 1984, Bill followed his passions for aircraft and technology by starting a new career at Hughes Aircraft. Over 11 years, he leveraged his extensive knowledge and expertise to develop real-life scenarios to test air defense systems. This career allowed him to travel to Belgium, Egypt, and Kuwait, among other locations. During his time in Egypt, Kathy was able to join him and explore the country, including a camel ride up Mt. Sinai. In 1993, Bill was introduced to his most cherished role: grandfather. "Grandpa Grogan" was spotted in the stands for countless soccer, baseball, football, and hockey games; track meets, rugby matches, skating competitions, choir concerts, awards and honorary ceremonies, graduations, and a wedding. To say he adored his seven grandchildren would be a massive understatement; they were the light of his life. As much as he disliked having his picture taken, he was always proud to be in photos and selfies with his grandkids. He was looking forward to becoming a great-grandfather in March 2022. In his retirement, Bill's favorite hobby (outside of being a grandfather) was fishing, including deep-sea fishing off the coast of Baja, California. He also enjoyed photography, astronomy, making hot sauces and spices, watching Formula1 races, and playing with the family dogs (who we are certain were anxiously awaiting his arrival at the Rainbow Bridge). Bill was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Bill's family and friends remember his love of all things BBQ, Asian foods, a habit of ordering "too many" appetizers, numerous USMC ballcaps and shirts, sense of humor and stories, respect for our country and military services, and love for his family. Services information 8660 44th Street Riverside 92509 Visitation LDS - JURUPA 8660 44th Street Riverside, CA 92509 Tuesday 1/25, 10:00 am - 11:00 am Service LDS CHURCH Tuesday 1/25, 11:00 am Cemetery Riverside National Cemetery 22495 Van Buren Blvd Riverside, CA 92518 Wednesday 1/26, 9:30 am