After a career designing oil rigs, Yuma priest called to spiritual field

Most people are lucky to find one career in their lifetime that they can truly enjoy.

Yuman Bill Krieger has been fortunate enough to have two.

Krieger used to help design offshore oil rigs.

These days, every Wednesday and Sunday, the congregation at St. Paul's Episcopal Church know him as Father Bill.

"I feel like this is a second life," Krieger said about his current career.

Krieger's professional journey started in 1977. After earning his bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees in science engineering from Purdue University, Krieger went to work for Gulf Research and Development Co. in Houston Texas.

He almost became a teacher. "I really like that idea, I was so close to that."

But a decision to participate in the application, rather than teach, led him to work for Gulf.

There, he helped design the underwater portion of offshore oil rigs, calculating for many factors of the harsh environment, including the ups and downs and sway of the unforgiving ocean.

With his wife, Paulette, and three young children, Louis, James and Shiloh, Krieger moved to Scotland and later London with the company.

"The whole family was there the whole time. It was great," he said.

While living abroad, Krieger said, he attended the Church of England, bridging both Catholicism and aspects of the Protestant Church.

After the company was bought out by Chevron, Krieger asked for a transfer back to the states in April 1987.

During that time, Krieger moved from a position as an engineer to a project manager, working on multibillion-dollar projects.

In 1995, he helped develop a new concept for a platform in 3,000 feet of water in the Gulf of Mexico. The legs on the platform included chain links that were 4 feet long, Krieger said, measuring 5-1/4 inches around.

He had already begun thinking about serving the Lord, and in 1994 he told his wife he wanted to make a career move. But with three children about to attend college - all at the same time - Krieger said it made sense to wait until he could take an early retirement.

He waited seven years.

When it was time, Krieger attended seminary school for the Episcopal Church in California.

"When I got to seminary, I got to do the type of research I was doing for fun. I don't think there's really part of this ministry that I don't like."

Krieger said after graduation, he took a position as the priest in charge of All Saints of the Desert Church in Sun City, Ariz.

It wasn't a quick journey to get to where he is now, but like anything in life, Krieger said, there are challenges you face.

"Some of them are more pleasant, some of them are less pleasant."

Krieger made the move to St. Paul's in December - and after a fulfilling first career, now he said he's "home."

"I'm here for the duration," he said.

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Stephanie A. Wilken can be reached at swilken@yumasun.com or 539-6857.