Bio

William Heathery Ichter, aged 96, , who was known as “Billy” to everyone who knew him, died in Denver, Colorado, on April 10, 2013, after a brief illness. The second youngest of eleven children, Mr. Ichter, was born and raised in Ashley, Pennsylvania, a prosperous anthracite coal mining community in the North Eastern corner of the state. Billy attended Luzerne County, public schools, and in 1942 he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from The University of Scranton, a Jesuit University located in Scranton, Pennsylvania . Immediately after graduating from college, he volunteered for and served in the United States Air Corp. and achieved the rank of First Lieutenant. After training in San Antonio, Texas, Billy served as a bombardier in a B-24 aircraft which was part of the 389th Bomb Group. Billy was stationed in Eastern England during the war and survived two crash landings. In February of 1943 Billy and William Kennedy, a navigator, were the sole survivors of their 8 man crew when their aircraft was shot down during a bombing mission over central Germany. After being captured by German ground forces, he and Kennedy were transported to Kassel, Germany, near Frankfurt om Main, for interrogation. After the interrogation was completed, Billy and Kennedy were transported by boxcar to Stalag Luft 1, a prison camp which held over 8,000 airmen that was located in Barth, Germany, in the far North- East of the country. The boxcar was unheated, and the seven day trip, which was made in Winter, was extremely difficult. Billy spent fourteen months as a prisoner of war. The conditions within the camp were inhumane, with winter conditions extremely difficult, and rations were scarce, but the 9,000 airmen imprisoned in Stalag Luft 1 showed incredible discipline and fortitude. After being liberated in 1945 by Russian forces, he returned to his hometown and attended Dickenson School of Law and Fordham University Law School. While attending Fordham he worked at the firm of Donovan, Leisure, a prominent Wall Street law practice that was founded by General “Wild Bill” Donovan, one of the founders of the C.I.A. After graduating from law school, Billy began a forty year career at Fairchild Camera, a manufacturer of high altitude camera equipment used by the U.S. government and private industry. He also was a substitute teacher in the Oyster Bay, New York school system for many years. Billy was preceded in death by his father Robert, and Mother Sarah, as well as brothers James, Jack, Joseph, John and Robert, and sisters Grace, Catherine, Irene, Jean and Elizabeth. Angela “Nell” Ichter, his beloved wife of 58 years, and who also grew up in Ashley, passed in 2007. Billy and Nell treasured their relationship, and they were inseparable. Billy and Nell loved gardening, dogs and children. They also traveled extensively and collected antiques as a hobby. For many years they resided in New York City, Huntington, Long Island, and relocated to Kingston, Pennsylvania after Billy’s retirement from Fairchild. Billy is survived by his nephew, Daniel Shannon, of Denver, Colorado, Karen O’Keeffe, Daniel’s wife, and their sons Edward Shannon of Whistler, British Columbia, Dennis Shannon of Madison, Wisconsin, and James Shannon of Madison, Wisconsin. He is also survived by Nephews Michael Shannon, of Scotia New York, Robert Shannon of Schenectady New York, and a Niece, Sara Denney of Burnt Hills, New York, Mrs. Heather Kaiser, a Grand Niece, of North Carolina, and her Husband Richard Kaiser and their sons R.J. Kaiser and Patrick Kaiser. Mr. Ichter was a resident of the Veteran’s Administration Community Living Center in Denver, Colorado at the time of his passing. The family of Daniel Shannon wishes to thank the staff of the Veterans Administration Community Living Center and the Veterans Administration Medical Center of Denver, Colorado for the world class care and support that they provided to Billy. Billy was eternally grateful for that care, and the relationships that he was able to establish there.