William “Willie” Masters, age 94, died June 16, 2014 at Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler, Texas. A “Celebration of His Life” with Patriot Guard escort was held June 20 at Lloyd James Funeral Home in Tyler, Texas internment followed with military honors at Cathedral of the Pines in Tyler. Brother Wayne Thompson officiated. Pallbearers were Matthew Ragan, Brent Thompson, Carlton Cadenhead, Mike Ragan, Bruce Masters and Ken Masters.
He was born February 18, 1920 in Hayes County, Nebraska to William C. and Sophia H. Meyer Masters – weighing only 3 ½ lbs. on a chicken scale! He attended grade school in Lincoln County, Nebraska and the 7th & 8th grades at the Childerston School in McPherson County. His high school was four years in Tryon, Nebraska where he graduated Salutatorian of his class.
William worked at various ranches in McPherson County until entering the Navy in 1942 where he served until 1945. He was a radioman and rear gunner on a Torpedo Bomber based on the Aircraft Carrier U.S.S. Lexington. He flew 504.4 combat hours in the Pacific, earning the Air Medal with three stars and the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Upon his return from the service, he was a partner in a Radio & Music Shop in Bozeman, Montana for a short time, was a clerk for the Northern Pacific Railroad, and also worked for the National Park Service in Yellowstone Park.
Mr. Masters married Ursulla V. (Sue) Perry of Livingston, Montana on July 13, 1947. A son John and a daughter Virginia were born in Livingston. The family of four moved to the ranch south of Tryon, Nebraska for a year, then relocated to California where William went into construction work. During the 17 years they spent in California, two daughters, Roberta and Dorothy, were born in Long Beach. While William worked in construction, Sue took training as a cake decorator and was employed in several bakeries.
Suffering a broken hip, William moved the family to Livingston, Montana in 1961. He worked in Yellowstone Park again as a clerk. After a year, they moved back to California where William worked at Los Alamitos Naval Air Station. With a base closure, the family returned to Nebraska where William worked in Construction in Hershey and North Platte until 1973 when he and Sue purchased a Cake Shop and catering business in Tyler, Texas. The Masters Cake Shop flourished under Sue’s culinary skills and William’s business expertise. William continued to work on carpenter and cement work at this time both in the Tyler area and in Oklahoma with his nephew, Bruce Masters.
In September 1982, Sue and William retired and moved to Tryon, Nebraska where they enjoyed the quiet, small town life for 29 years. William was the Veterans Service Officer for McPherson County for 6 ½ years. He was a life-time member of the American Legion Post 189. In July 2011, they moved with their eldest daughter to Tyler, Texas. The last three years of his life, William was cared for by not just one, but all three of his daughters and their families. Many gatherings, meals shared, and family outings brought laughter and joy to his life. For 21 months, he focused his attention on his great-grandchildren delighting in holding them, feeding them, reading books to them, and watching them grow and play.
William Masters was saved and baptized in the First Baptist Church of Livingston, Montana in 1948. He spent his life serving in churches wherever he lived as deacon, minister of music, Sunday School Superintendent, and Building and Finance Officer.
William was always interested in music, had his own string band with two of his brothers, and had a radio program on KGNF in North Platte, Nebraska. He won 3rd place in an Old Time Fiddler contest in Nebraskaland Days in 1990 and won 2nd place the following year.
Survivors include his wife, Sue, son John (Betsy), Steamboat Springs, Colorado, daughter Virginia Lester, Tyler, Texas, daughter Roberta (Carlton) Cadenhead, Jacksonville, Texas, daughter Dorothy (Mike) Ragan, Bullard, Texas; four grandchildren, Julie (Brent) Thompson, Flint, Texas, Katie Masters, Chevy Chase, Maryland, Liza Masters (Alan Goldich), Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and Matthew Ragan, Tyler, Texas; great-grandchildren Abigail Thompson and Wyatt Thompson, two brothers, Vic Masters, Long Beach, California and Gene (Sheryl) Masters, North Platte, Nebraska and sisters-in-law Eunice Masters and Loretta Masters, North Platte, Nebraska and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, one sister and six brothers, Ira, Ben, Arbor (Marge), George, Hollis and Bob, his brother-in-law Bud Bowers, sister-in-law Virginia Masters, and son-in-law Von Lester. Also preceding him were his wife’s parents John and Leila Perry and sisters-in-law Emma (Pete Nelson, Betty (Bill) Armstrong and Leola (Richard Quesenberry.
“I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course. I have kept the faith. In the future, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved his appearing.”
2 Timothy 4:7 & 8
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