William C. "Billy" Wilson Jr.

After a short illness and fifteen years after suffering a heart attack and having a triple bypass operation, William C. "Billy" Wilson Jr. passed away in his sleep, Thursday, March 20th, from heart failure. He is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, the former Inus Hargrove of Temple, a daughter, Margaret Wilson of Belton, a son, Jeffrey Wilson of Killeen, as well as many other loving relatives and friends.

William Wilson was born on a tenant farm in Bell County Texas in 1922 and grew up picking cotton during the Great Depression along with parents his three brothers. He graduated from Academy High School in 1939 and started college at Temple College, which was then in the basement of Temple High School, sweeping floors there at night to help pay his tuition. After a stint in California as a riveter in a factory making B-25s, he returned to Bell County and joined the Army in 1942.

Because of the few semesters he spent taking college classes he was qualified after enlisting to enter officer training and eventually achieve his dream of becoming a pilot. He was trained to fly B-26s and A-26s and just missed service in the Pacific theatre when the atomic bombs were dropped, stopping his deployment. After the war he spent time in Germany and briefly flew a C-47 in the Berlin Airlift. He ended up spending most of the rest of his professional life in the Air Force, serving a total of 32 years and 9 months, retiring as a Colonel in 1974.

Since then he has played golf (his all consuming passion for 40 years), earned a Masters Degree from Texas Christian University, raised Pugs and fat house cats, and enjoyed the sweet fruits of his many labors in a long and happy retirement along side his family and friends.

He lived a blessed life, lucky in virtually all things, and now goes on to an even greater reward. His many surviving family and friends will miss him terribly but we are comforted to know that others, already passed on to the other side, welcome him with joy to his new life in another realm.

Written by his loving and loyal son,
Jeff Wilson (http://fathairybastard.blogspot.com)

The family receives friends tonight, with a private graveside service Saturday.