Obituary for Claude Vernon “CV” Williams Claude Vernon “CV” Williams, PE, an accomplished Aeronautical Engineer, Private Pilot and Sailor, “Flew West” on May 26, 2018 at the age of 92. He is survived by his Wife of 37 years, Diana Brehm Williams and his three Sons and their Wives and Families from his marriage to Jean Copeland Williams including Steve and Kathy, Glenn and Katie, David and Jennifer as well as Granddaughters and their Husbands Amy and Paul Snellings and Emily and Chip Karo, Granddaughter Rachel Williams and Great Grandchildren Will and Lauren Snellings and Payton and Presley Karo. He was born in Miami, FL on December 12 of 1925 to Claude Jasper Wallace Williams and Lee Vernon Graham Williams.
At Miami High School he played 1st Chair Clarinet in the Marching Band, and after graduation, enlisted in the US Army Air Corps as an Aviation Cadet near the end of World War ll. Initially selected for training as a pilot, he was subsequently placed in training to be a B-29 Super Fortress Flight Engineer. After the war ended, he married Jean Copeland and entered Alabama Polytechnic Institute, now Auburn University, graduating after only three years while earning a degree in Aeronautical Engineering and being selected as a member of Tau Beta Phi, the nation’s oldest engineering honor society.
After graduation, his first job was with NACA, the National Advisory Committee for Aerodynamics (later NASA) at Langley Field in Virginia where he worked as an Engineer at the Transonic Wind Tunnel under the famed Dick Whitcomb, drawing the first pen and ink drawing of the “Area Rule” concept, a design technique used to reduce an aircraft’s drag at transonic and supersonic speeds which is still used on most aircraft to this day. In 1955, he was recruited by Lockheed Georgia Company where he conducted wind tunnel testing on the C-130, C-141 and Jet Star Aircraft. While working at the Lockheed Georgia Research Laboratory, he designed and acquired a Wind Tunnel and other testing facilities for Lockheed.
The need for large Wind Tunnels in the early 1960s gave him the opportunity to oversee the acquisition, construction and commissioning in 1967 of the large tunnel which he then managed, and which is still in operation today at the Lockheed-Marietta plant. Since the facility opened, everything from scale models of aircraft design concepts to full-scale production and race cars have been tested in winds up to 200 mph produced by the 9,000 hp motor that drives a thirty-nine-foot-diameter fan. More than fifteen types have been tested with the C-130, C-141, F-35 and F/A-22 topping the list.
An avid reader, he read technical books and journals throughout his life to remain current in his profession. Nearing retirement, he obtained his Professional Engineering License (PE), passing the test for Mechanical Engineering on only his first attempt. He was an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and was a Founding Member of the Subsonic Aerodynamic Testing Association.
Music was always a part of his life, and he played Clarinet for the Marietta Symphony until the demands of work required him to travel for Lockheed. He still found time to build a wooden sailboat and taught himself to sail. He painstakingly restored a 21 ft Olympic Class Flying Dutchman racing sailboat and joined the Atlanta Yacht Club on Lake Alatoona where in 1973 he became the Club’s Commodore.
In 1980, CV and Diana married, purchased a Catalina 30 sailboat and became members of the University Yacht Club at Lake Lanier where they raced the Catalina 30 and won several Club Championships while he served on the Club’s Board of Governors and as Captain of Fleet Sail. He and Diana enjoyed snow skiing in Colorado, playing bridge and traveling to England, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Hawaii and Alaska. He had been unable to complete his Private Pilot Certificate due to the demands of a new family and the rigors of completing college, so in 1990 at the age of 65 he finished his flight checkout and flew over 500 hours of flight time as a Private Pilot.
Not one to sit still in retirement, in 2001 he and Diana purchased a 1975 Lazy Days Houseboat and in typical fashion, he attacked its problems and gave the boat a renewed life which they enjoyed until health problems caused him to scale back. He always said that he wanted to be remembered for the things he built, and his many accomplishments during his life will certainly cause him to be missed by his family and those he helped along the way. A Memorial Service will be held at 2 pm on Saturday, June 2, 2018 at Mayes Ward-Dobbins Macland Chapel, Powder Springs.
Visitation will be from 1 pm until 2 pm and there will be a reception immediately following the service at the funeral home. Memorials may be sent to the McEachern United Methodist Church Music Fund at 4075 Macland Road, Powder Springs, GA 30127 or to a charity of your choice. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Claude Vernon “CV” Williams please visit our Sympathy Store.
Upcoming Events Visitation 2018 JUN 2. 01:00 PM – 02:00 PM Mayes Ward-Dobbins Macland Chapel 3940 Macland Road Powder Springs, GA, US, 30127 Order Flowers for the Visitation Guaranteed delivery before Claude Vernon “CV”‘s Visitation begins. Memorial 2018 JUN 2.
02:00 PM – 03:00 PM Mayes Ward-Dobbins Macland Chapel 3940 Macland Road Powder Springs, GA, US, 30127 Order Flowers for the Memorial Service Guaranteed delivery before Claude Vernon “CV”‘s Memorial Service begins.
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