William Herbert Loeffler's Obituary
William H. Loeffler
Navy Captain
William H. (Bill) Loeffler, age 89, a Naval Aviator who retired as a Captain in 1986 after 33 years of service, died of cancer on October 4, 2023, at his home in Fort Myers, FL. Captain Loeffler was born in Salt Lake City, UT. He attended the University of Utah before enlisting in the Navy and entering flight training. After earning his aviator wings, he served in several patrol squadrons that deployed to Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines and Alaska. He later received a bachelor’s degree from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA and graduated from the Army War College in Carlisle, PA. Captain Loeffler was a plank owner of the aircraft carrier USS CONSTELLATION (CV-64), commissioned in 1961. He was stationed overseas in Japan, Guam and Turkey. In Guam, he commanded the communications aircraft squadron Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron 3 (VQ-3) and in Turkey he served as a member of the U.S. military staff of the Central Treaty Organization. Prior to his retirement from the Navy, he served in the Pentagon with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Defense Communications Agency, and the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations. His Navy decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with gold star, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal, the Meritorious Unit Commendation and various other service ribbons.
From his Navy retirement until 1992, Captain Loeffler was a telecommunications consultant with Booz, Allen and Hamilton in the Washington, D.C. area. He lived in Arlington, VA for 26 years and enjoyed considerable time in Rehoboth Beach, DE, before becoming a resident of Fort Myers in 2007.
Captain Loeffler is survived by his wife, Marilyn (Judy) Long, of Fort Myers, FL, with whom he traveled the world over the past 40 years. He is also survived by his children, LTC David Loeffler, U.S. Army Retired, of Corvallis, OR, Douglas Loeffler of Westlake Village, CA, LCDR Steven Loeffler, U.S. Navy Retired of Coronado, CA, and Janet Loduca of Calgary, AB, as well as his wife’s son Robert Long of Vero Beach, FL, and his and Judy’s ten grandchildren and three great grandchildren. He was predeceased by his parents, Oscar Otto and Dorothy Loeffler, his sister, Dorothy Potter, his two brothers, Frank and Edwin (Bud) Loeffler, and his first wife, Lorraine Lyle, from whom he divorced in 1975. Captain Loeffler will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.
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