Person Sheet
NameWilliam Barnes "Bill" COLWELL
Birth19 May 1929, Washita Co., Oklahoma
Death29 Mar 2005, Waxahachie, Ellis Co., Texas
Spouses
Notes for William Barnes "Bill" COLWELL
OBITUARY: William “Bill” Barnes Colwell
Bill Colwell was born on May 19, 1929 in Washita County, Oklahoma near Mt. View, OK. His parents were William Otre Colwell and Bessie Sanders Colwell. He attended school in Mountain View and graduated in 1948. He attended college in Stillwater, Oklahoma until he joined the military in January 1951. While in the United States Air Force he served in the Korean War. He was stationed at an advanced forward Air Base with the Fourth Fighter Inceptor Wing, 335th Fighter Squadron at Kimpo AFB, Korea nearly all of 1952. Bill was a jet mechanic and worked on T-33 and F-86 Sabre Jets. While at Kimpo he held the jobs of Crew Chief and later Hanger Chief for the 335th FIW. When he came back to the states, he was stationed at Bryan AFB in Bryan, Texas. While there, he met Mildred Groce from Caldwell, Texas who was working as a civilian employee at Bryan AFB. They were married on June 19, 1954 at the First Baptist Church in Caldwell. When he completed his four years in the service, he went back to college and graduated from Central State Oklahoma in Edmond in 1956 with an Industrial Arts Degree.
Bill was a fence salesman and operated Allied Fence Company in Dallas, Texas prior to coming to Waxahachie. In 1964, Bill moved to Waxahachie and was a Consignee for Texaco, Inc. A few years later he purchased all of Texaco’s assets here and became a distributor. He owned and operated Colwell Oil Company and Star Mart Texaco Convenience Stores. He celebrated his 40th year in business on September 11, 2004.
Bill was a member of several organizations. He was a 32 Degree Mason and had been a Mason for over 50 years and belonged to the Mountain View Masonic Lodge in Oklahoma, Waxahachie #90 Masonic Lodge, Oak Cliff Chapter and Council, Tancred Commandery #82 Knight Templar, Scottish Rite Valley of Dallas and a Shriner of Hella Temple. He also belonged to the Lions Club for nearly 50 years the past 40 with the Waxahachie Lions. He was Life Member of the National Rifle Association.
He was a member of First Baptist Church and the Men’s Downtown Bible Class.
His parents Mr. & Mrs. W.O. Colwell of Mansfield preceded Bill in death. Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Mildred Colwell of Waxahachie, his sister Frances Minor of Fort Worth, Texas, three children Jim and his wife Melinda, John and his wife Chrissy and his daughter Sally Colwell all of Waxahachie, five grandchildren Paul, Philip, Chelsea, Chase and Shane Colwell all of Waxahachie and many nieces and nephews from Caldwell, Texas.
Bill joined Our Father in Heaven on Monday March 29, 2005 he passed away at his home in Waxahachie. Visitation will be from 7:00 to 9:00 pm on Thursday at Wayne Boze Funeral Home in Waxahachie and the Celebration of life will be at 2:00 pm on Friday April 1st at Wayne Boze. He will be buried at Sardis Cemetery near Waxahachie.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Wayne Boze Funeral Home.
Bill Colwell was born on May 19, 1929 in Washita County, Oklahoma near Mt. View, OK. His parents were William Otre Colwell and Bessie Sanders Colwell. He attended school in Mountain View and graduated in 1948. He attended college in Stillwater, Oklahoma until he joined the military in January 1951. While in the United States Air Force he served in the Korean War. He was stationed at an advanced forward Air Base with the Fourth Fighter Inceptor Wing, 335th Fighter Squadron at Kimpo AFB, Korea nearly all of 1952. Bill was a jet mechanic and worked on T-33 and F-86 Sabre Jets. While at Kimpo he held the jobs of Crew Chief and later Hanger Chief for the 335th FIW. When he came back to the states, he was stationed at Bryan AFB in Bryan, Texas. While there, he met Mildred Groce from Caldwell, Texas who was working as a civilian employee at Bryan AFB. They were married on June 19, 1954 at the First Baptist Church in Caldwell. When he completed his four years in the service, he went back to college and graduated from Central State Oklahoma in Edmond in 1956 with an Industrial Arts Degree.
Bill was a fence salesman and operated Allied Fence Company in Dallas, Texas prior to coming to Waxahachie. In 1964, Bill moved to Waxahachie and was a Consignee for Texaco, Inc. A few years later he purchased all of Texaco’s assets here and became a distributor. He owned and operated Colwell Oil Company and Star Mart Texaco Convenience Stores. He celebrated his 40th year in business on September 11, 2004.
Bill was a member of several organizations. He was a 32 Degree Mason and had been a Mason for over 50 years and belonged to the Mountain View Masonic Lodge in Oklahoma, Waxahachie #90 Masonic Lodge, Oak Cliff Chapter and Council, Tancred Commandery #82 Knight Templar, Scottish Rite Valley of Dallas and a Shriner of Hella Temple. He also belonged to the Lions Club for nearly 50 years the past 40 with the Waxahachie Lions. He was Life Member of the National Rifle Association.
He was a member of First Baptist Church and the Men’s Downtown Bible Class.
His parents Mr. & Mrs. W.O. Colwell of Mansfield preceded Bill in death. Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Mildred Colwell of Waxahachie, his sister Frances Minor of Fort Worth, Texas, three children Jim and his wife Melinda, John and his wife Chrissy and his daughter Sally Colwell all of Waxahachie, five grandchildren Paul, Philip, Chelsea, Chase and Shane Colwell all of Waxahachie and many nieces and nephews from Caldwell, Texas.
Bill joined Our Father in Heaven on Monday March 29, 2005 he passed away at his home in Waxahachie. Visitation will be from 7:00 to 9:00 pm on Thursday at Wayne Boze Funeral Home in Waxahachie and the Celebration of life will be at 2:00 pm on Friday April 1st at Wayne Boze. He will be buried at Sardis Cemetery near Waxahachie.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Wayne Boze Funeral Home.