William Dennis "Bill" Ivey, age 92 of Fayetteville, passed away on Friday (5/23/2025) at the Fayetteville VA Medical Center.  Bill was born in 1933 near Durham, North Carolina to John and Lela Mae 'Ellis' Ivey. He was the last of five children born into this farming family. His parents and siblings; Joe, Bob, Helen, and Betty, all left this earth before Bill. In 1950, just 17 years old, Bill volunteered for the U.S. Army at a recruiting station in Durham. He spoke about the influence of his older brother Bob who similarly left home at that age, joining the U.S. Navy during World War II. Bill's first Army assignment was with the 1st Cavalry Regiment that had been stationed in Büdingen, Germany since 1945. Here, he would meet the love of his life…18-year-old Lina Mathilde Roessler…and it was there that they married in 1954 and began a life together lasting nearly 70 years until Hilde's passing in December of 2023. Bill and Hilde raised their six children living in Germany and several places around the United States. Bill Jr. joined the family in 1957, Ronald in 1958, Raymond in 1960, Carol in 1961, Jeannine in 1964, and Michael in 1967. Bill's Army career blossomed, and he volunteered to be a part of a new Army innovation: the military helicopter. He was accepted into Army Warrant Officer school, qualified as a pilot, and spent several years flying early versions of Army helicopters. By the 1960s, Bill had become an experienced pilot leading to three separate combat tours in Vietnam. His military assignments often separated him from his wife and children, sometimes for a year or more, but their bonds and their love never wavered. In 1972, Bill got an assignment to Fort Bragg and he could bring his whole family back to the homeland where he was born and raised. Bill Jr., Ron, Ray, Carol, Jeannine, and Mike all completed their schooling back in North Carolina. In 1977, Bill retired from the U.S. Army with nearly 27 years of service and having achieved the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 4 and the rating of a Master Army Aviator. The family settled in the newly established College Lakes neighborhood of Fayetteville and Bill began a lucrative career selling automated office equipment throughout the mid-Atlantic region. Eventually, he returned to Army-service at Fort Bragg as an aviation safety specialist civilian employee – a role that led him to his involvement in Saudi Arabia and Iraq during the Gulf War; and in Somalia during the 1993 famine relief effort. 1 William Dennis Ivey – Past Master, Knights Templar, 32° Knight Commander of the Court of Honor. Bill began his masonic journey, May 29, 1954, near Fort Benning, Georgia, at Wilson Williams Lodge No. 351, Free & Accepted Masons in Phenix City, Alabama, where he remained a member for the rest of his life. He has been affiliated with the Phoenix Lodge No.8 Ancient Free & Accepted Masons in Fayetteville since 1995. Bill served as the Master of the Phoenix Lodge in 2002, and Secretary from 2003 until 2010. He was a member of the Fayetteville York Rite bodies, the New Bern Scottish Rite bodies, and a member of the 20th Degree team for most of those years. Bill was a member of the Sudan Shriners, past president of both the Cumberland County and the Hope Mills Shrine Clubs. He was an active member of Hillbillies Clan 2, Clan13, and was Past Rabban of Hillbillies Clan 58. He enjoyed membership in the Sudan Hillbillies and raising money for Shriners Hospitals for Children and the Masonic Home for Children in Oxford. Bill also maintained membership in several other fraternal and social organizations: • The Army Aviation Association of America • The Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association • Lions International • Toastmasters International • The Knights of Pythias. Bill, his wife, and their children, enjoyed a wonderful and active life living in the Fayetteville community these last 50-plus years: with friends, neighbors, schools, the Army community, and fraternal organizations. Bill's wife and lifelong love Hilde died less than 18 months ago; and sadly, for them both, two of their sons had died before them: Ronald in 2019 and a few months later Raymond in 2020. He is survived by four children: William Dennis Ivey Jr. of Fayetteville, Carol Ivey Benton of Pinehurst, N.C., Jeannine Michelle Harrison of Fuquay Varina, N.C., and Michael Patrick Ivey of Bakersfield, Calif.; eight grandchildren, six great grandchildren.  The family will receive friends from 6-8pm Wednesday evening (5/28/2025) at Smith Funeral Home, 201 First St, Broadway, NC.  Graveside funeral service will be conducted at 11am Thursday (5/29/2025) at the Olive Chapel Baptist Church Cemetery, 600 New Hill Olive Chapel Rd, Apex, NC. with Rev. Randy Clipp officiating.  Burial will be with full military and masonic rites.  Online condolences can be made at www.smithfuneralhomebroadway.com  Arrangements are by the Smith Funeral Home, Broadway Inc.