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Major William Franklin Dees
KERRVILLE — Major William Franklin Dees passed from this life into the grace of our Lord on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2009. Bill, or Papaw Bull as he was called by his grandchildren, was under the loving care of the angels in Nursing Home No.1 at the Kerrville “Legion” VA Hospital, where he died at 87 years of age.
Bill was born on Dec. 11, 1921, in Eldorado, Ark., and as a young boy moved with his parents, Drue and Lois Beck Dees, to Shreveport, where he lived until joining the Army Air Corps during World War II. Bill loved flying and, through Air Cadets, earned his wings and an Army Air Corps commission. He flew C-47s in the China-Burma Theater as a “Hump Pilot” and was decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf clusters and the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf clusters, and ultimately he was awarded his treasured command pilot wings.
Coming home after the war, Bill met the love of his life, Madge Whitewood Dees, who was born in Kerrville and raised on her father Fred James Whitewood’s ranch near Harper, Texas. Bill and Madge lived a wonderful service life with assignments in Germany, England and the Philippines, along with various other postings in the USA. During this post-war period, Bill served as an air traffic controller, making certain the safety of other pilots. Bill retired from the USAF in 1966 and he and Madge settled in San Antonio for the next 42 years. Bill carried the mail in San Antonio for the first 16 of those years, retiring from the USPS in 1982.
Bill was predeceased by his parents; his sister, Bettye Dees; and his beloved Madge Whitewood Dees.
He is survived by his only and loving child, Carol Ann Dees Davidson and her husband, John; a grandson, Philip DeWitt Dixon IV and his wife, Paige; granddaughter, Mary Elizabeth Ann Ricks; and great-grandchildren, Philip DeWitt Dixon V, Haleigh Elizabeth Ricks, Connor Harris Dixon and Morgan Blaine Dixon.
Bill’s daughter, Carol, wants to recognize and thank the wonderful staff members of Nursing Home No. 1 at the Kerrville VA Hospital for their always loving and tender care of her father during his time there; they were special angels indeed.
Graveside services with military honors will be at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2009, at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in Houston.
Memorials can be made in Bill’s name to The Alzheimer’s Association, 101 Summit Avenue, Fort Worth, TX 76102.
You are invited to sign the guestbook at www.porterloring.com.
Arrangements are with Porter Loring Mortuary, 1101 McCullough, San Antonio, TX; 800-460-2704.
Published August 10, 2009
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