Mashburn, William “Bill”

William “Bill” Mashburn of Blacksburg, died peacefully with his loving family by his side on Tuesday, February 4, 2014, at the age of 86. He was born in Gastonia, NC. on January 18, 1928 to the late Oscar and Alma Stiles Mashburn.

He is survived by Jane, his loving wife of 61 years, three children, William Mashburn Jr. and wife Annette, Karen Zeigler and husband Michael, David Mashburn and wife Carolyn; four grandchildren, Scott Mashburn and wife, Lindsey, Emily Stump and husband, Matthew, William Mashburn and Wesley Mashburn; three great grandchildren, Ryland and Colleen Stump and Claire Mashburn; and sister, Pearl Norris. This beautiful family was always the center of his world.

He received his education as a mechanical engineer from the N.C. State University, and shortly thereafter was called to duty in the U.S. air Force as a second lieutenant. After receiving training in the Airborne Electronics Officers School, he was assigned to the Air Training Command where he taught electronics and radar systems to cadets. He and Jane were married while he was on active duty and spent their early married life on Air Force bases in Texas before being discharged from active duty. He then spent eighteen years in engineering and management positions in the aerospace industry working with Sperry-Rand, Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, Radiation Incorporated, and KDI Corporation.

In 1968 he joined Virginia Tech as an engineer supporting the Extension Division, then transferred to the Mechanical Engineering Department where he became founder and director of the Energy Management Institute. He developed a four week Energy Management Diploma Program in 1978 to train industrial energy mangers. This program is still being conducted at N.C. State University and is the longest running energy training program in the country. In addition, he conducted energy training programs in eleven foreign countries.

He retired as Professor Emeritus from the Mechanical Engineering Department at Virginia Tech. He published on a broad range of energy related subjects, and is author of the book Managing Energy Resources in Times of Dynamic Change. He is also the author of Mountain Summer, a biographical sketch of his life as a young boy growing up in the mountains of Cherokee County, North Carolina. He wrote many technical articles on energy topics and was a contributing writer for Virginia Outdoors and the Virginia Fly Fishing Journal.

He was a registered Professional Engineer, a Professional Energy Manager, and Certified Energy Manager. He was active in the Association of Energy Engineers, and was a past International President. In 1994 at the World Energy Engineering Congress he was inducted into the Energy Manager’s Hall of Fame. In retirement, he continued to teach energy courses for the Association of Energy Engineers, N.C. State University and Virginia Tech. He became the founder and Executive Officer of the Institute for Energy Professionals, an association providing international training for the energy managers.

He was a member of the Belmont Christian Church where he and his family worshiped regularly. He was active in Kiwanis and served as chairman of the advisory board of the Salvation Army. Bill was very proud of his Scotch and Cherokee heritage which may have accounted for his being an avid outdoorsman. he spent summer vacations for the past twenty five years packing on horseback into remote wilderness in western states on hunting and fly fishing trips, often accompanied by sons and a grandson.

His great love was for God, family, and the wilderness where he found peace in God’s great cathedrals of mountains and streams.

Funeral services will be conducted Friday, February 7, 2014 at 2:00pm in the McCoy Funeral Home Chapel with Mr. Beaver Terry and Mr. Jerry Dowdy officiating. Entombment will follow in the Roselawn Memorial Gardens, Christiansburg.

In lieu of flowers please make donations to Belmont Christian Church Vision Fund, 2149 Dominion Drive, Christiansburg, VA 24073 or to the Salvation Army.

The family will receive friends from 12-2:00pm Friday afternoon at the McCoy Funeral Home 150 Country Club Dr. SW, Blacksburg. arrangements by McCoy Funeral Home.