Obituary for William A. Appleby Jr.
William A. Appleby, Jr. was born on December 10, 1921, in Norman, Oklahoma, to William A. Appleby, Sr. and Mary Marie (Slajer) Appleby. He spent his summer vacations on his grandfather's farm and later worked for his father who was a building contractor.
Bill attended grade school, junior and senior high schools in Norman, Oklahoma, graduating from high school in 1939. He then attended the University of Oklahoma and graduated in 1943 with a degree in Architectural Engineering.
Bill completed Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Oklahoma from 1939 to 1941. He then served in the United States Navy Reserve from December 1941 to March 1955. He was on active duty from May 1943 to September 1947. After attending midshipman school at the University of Notre Dame, he was commissioned as an ensign in the United States Navy Reserve. He then received training in the Navy amphibious training bases at Little Creek, Virginia, Camp Bradford, Virginia, and Solomons, Maryland. After attending anti-aircraft training at Rhode Island, Bill shipped out on the Queen Elizabeth for Roseneath, Scotland.
In January Bill was assigned to the LCF #9, an anti-air craft that the Navy received from Great Britain. He was stationed on the left flank of Omaha Beach for the Normandy invasion to protect the small boat lanes from strafing German aircraft. He returned to England and delivered the USS LCF#9 back to the British. Bill then received orders to return to the United States and continued training at Little Creek. He completed training in December 1944 and was assigned to the LSM #452, a large Ocean Landing Ship where he served as the gunnery and communications officer and later became an executive officer. After being ordered back to Guam Bill became commanding officer and was then ordered back to San Francisco for the Eventual decommissioning of the Ship.
Bill was married to Inis Ethlyn Gore in 1947, until her death in 1983. Together the had two children, Mary Kathleen Appleby Doughty and Robert Keith Appleby. Bill married Mary Ann Logsdon in 1985,
Bill worked for the firm of Collins and Flood, Architects and Engineers, an intern architect in 1947. The firm had offices in McAlister and Ardmore, Oklahoma. He received a license to practice architecture in 1951 and opened his own architectural office in Altus in 1954. He retired in 1987.
Bitt attended the first Oklahoma Boys State. He was a member of the American Legion, Lions Club, Elks Club, Masonic Lodge, and a Shriner. He served on the board of governors for licensed architects for the state of Oklahoma for fifteen years and was president of the Oklahoma Chapter of the American Institute of Architects in 1969. He served on the Altus Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors for two terms and was a member of the Military Affairs Committee. In May of 2012 Bill was honored to go to Washington, DC., with the Honor Flight from Southwest Oklahoma. He was a member of the Altus First Presbyterian Church for 58 years. Bill was an avid golfer and scored his last hole in one at the age of 84.
William Appleby is preceded in death by his mother and father, William A. Appleby Sr. and Marie Slajer Appleby, his sister, Loyce Evelyn Appleby Jansing, and his first wife, Inis Ethlyn Gore Appleby. He is survived by his wife, Mary Ann Appleby of Altus, daughter, Kathleen Appleby Doughty and her husband, Lynn of Oklahoma City, and son Robert Keith (Bob) Appleby and his wife, Mary Ann, of Dallas, Texas. He is also survived by his sister Doris Appleby Leoffelholz of Norman, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, as well as the second family he gained from his wife, Mary Ann, her children, Dorothy Litland, FR. Ulysses D' Aquila, Catherine Mgness and husband Greg, Jimmie Logsdon, Mary Lindsey and husband Steve. Also eight grandchildren and three great-grandsons.
A visitation will be held Wednesday the 26th from 7 to 8 pm at Lowell-Tims Funeral Home. Services will be 2:00 pm Thursday, December 27th at the First Presbyterian Church, Altus.
Memorials can be made to the First Presbyterian Church, Western Oklahoma State College or to the Charity of your choice.
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Bill attended grade school, junior and senior high schools in Norman, Oklahoma, graduating from high school in 1939. He then attended the University of Oklahoma and graduated in 1943 with a degree in Architectural Engineering.
Bill completed Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Oklahoma from 1939 to 1941. He then served in the United States Navy Reserve from December 1941 to March 1955. He was on active duty from May 1943 to September 1947. After attending midshipman school at the University of Notre Dame, he was commissioned as an ensign in the United States Navy Reserve. He then received training in the Navy amphibious training bases at Little Creek, Virginia, Camp Bradford, Virginia, and Solomons, Maryland. After attending anti-aircraft training at Rhode Island, Bill shipped out on the Queen Elizabeth for Roseneath, Scotland.
In January Bill was assigned to the LCF #9, an anti-air craft that the Navy received from Great Britain. He was stationed on the left flank of Omaha Beach for the Normandy invasion to protect the small boat lanes from strafing German aircraft. He returned to England and delivered the USS LCF#9 back to the British. Bill then received orders to return to the United States and continued training at Little Creek. He completed training in December 1944 and was assigned to the LSM #452, a large Ocean Landing Ship where he served as the gunnery and communications officer and later became an executive officer. After being ordered back to Guam Bill became commanding officer and was then ordered back to San Francisco for the Eventual decommissioning of the Ship.
Bill was married to Inis Ethlyn Gore in 1947, until her death in 1983. Together the had two children, Mary Kathleen Appleby Doughty and Robert Keith Appleby. Bill married Mary Ann Logsdon in 1985,
Bill worked for the firm of Collins and Flood, Architects and Engineers, an intern architect in 1947. The firm had offices in McAlister and Ardmore, Oklahoma. He received a license to practice architecture in 1951 and opened his own architectural office in Altus in 1954. He retired in 1987.
Bitt attended the first Oklahoma Boys State. He was a member of the American Legion, Lions Club, Elks Club, Masonic Lodge, and a Shriner. He served on the board of governors for licensed architects for the state of Oklahoma for fifteen years and was president of the Oklahoma Chapter of the American Institute of Architects in 1969. He served on the Altus Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors for two terms and was a member of the Military Affairs Committee. In May of 2012 Bill was honored to go to Washington, DC., with the Honor Flight from Southwest Oklahoma. He was a member of the Altus First Presbyterian Church for 58 years. Bill was an avid golfer and scored his last hole in one at the age of 84.
William Appleby is preceded in death by his mother and father, William A. Appleby Sr. and Marie Slajer Appleby, his sister, Loyce Evelyn Appleby Jansing, and his first wife, Inis Ethlyn Gore Appleby. He is survived by his wife, Mary Ann Appleby of Altus, daughter, Kathleen Appleby Doughty and her husband, Lynn of Oklahoma City, and son Robert Keith (Bob) Appleby and his wife, Mary Ann, of Dallas, Texas. He is also survived by his sister Doris Appleby Leoffelholz of Norman, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, as well as the second family he gained from his wife, Mary Ann, her children, Dorothy Litland, FR. Ulysses D' Aquila, Catherine Mgness and husband Greg, Jimmie Logsdon, Mary Lindsey and husband Steve. Also eight grandchildren and three great-grandsons.
A visitation will be held Wednesday the 26th from 7 to 8 pm at Lowell-Tims Funeral Home. Services will be 2:00 pm Thursday, December 27th at the First Presbyterian Church, Altus.
Memorials can be made to the First Presbyterian Church, Western Oklahoma State College or to the Charity of your choice.
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