William John Wetherill
1931-2010
William "Bill" born in the city of Flagstaff Arizona on March 23,
1927, the second son of * Benjamin Wade Wetherill and Myrle Jeanette
Davis. Milton Elwood born September 9,1925 was the oldest. Then
after William was Benjamin Alfred born February 7,1930 and Robert
Louis Born August 29, 1931.
During the process of growing up he lived in several locations from
Navajo Mountain, Kayenta, Tucson, Phoenix, Scottsdale and Chandler
Arizona, also living in Berkley, California and Pinehaven New
Mexico. William's mother took the children and moved to Phoenix
where Her Parents lived (that was in 1940). Then in 1944 William
joined the Navy and ended up in the Philippine Islands where he was
involved in the battle of Layte Gulf. During this time he was
awarded the Philippine Liberation medal along with the Asia Pacific
medal, the American Theater and WWII Victory Medal. He was
discharged from the Navy in 1947 and Joined the Marine `Corps
in 1948. While in the Marine
Corps he Married Margaret DeVoe Meek to
whom he is still married. (That will be 55 years on June 10th 2005).
He also served in the 1st Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division
during the Korean was. It was during his service in the Marine Corps
that he was awarded the
Korean Service Medal W/1*; United Nations Service Metal; U.S. PUC;
Korean PUC; National Defense Service Metal; Good Conduct Metal (5th Awd).
On returning to the United States he was assigned to the 4th
Battalion 12th Marines 3rd Marine Division Camp Pendleton,
California. From there he was sent to recruiters school at Parris
Island, South Carolina, and then on to the First Recruitment
District and stationed in Bridgeport Conn. And then Springfield
Mass. Upon completion of that assignment he was stationed at Camp
Lejeune, North Carolina Where he was a formal schools instructor
teaching field recovery of various types of equipment. From there to
Parris Island SC where he was a drill instructor assigned to the 1st
recruit training battalion where he served until retirement from the
service after 20 years.
After retirement from the service he Worked for a brief time in law
enforcement and then entered the engineering field where he worked
at the Kennedy Space Center and then Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Corp.
After 11 years with Pratt & Whitney he contracted out as an
engineering consultant with a number of aircraft related industries
in various parts of the United States. The Last Corporation was
Boeing in Seattle WA.
After he retired in 1992 and settling in the town of Shelton,
Washington where he volunteered help for several organizations both
within Washington and other states, such as the heritage center in
Dolores Colorado, and spent a great deal of time working on his old
house.
Ben was the eldest child of John & Louisa Wetherill, well known
pioneers who had a trading post on the Navajo reservation at Kayenta
Arizona. Myrle was the eldest child of William and Mary Blanch Davis
who were educators teaching on various Indian reservations in the
Southwestern United States.
William J. Wetherill passed away 17 Nov 2010.
William "Bill" Wetherill
Mesa Verde, Colorado 1990