More detail on this person: Fort Worth
Star-Telegram (TX) - Saturday, April 26, 2003
FORT WORTH -- William A. Bearden, colonel, U.S.
Army (ret.), died peacefully on Thursday morning,
April 24, 2003, after a lengthy illness.
Memorial service: 2 p.m. Sunday at St. Stephen
Presbyterian Church. Col. Bearden's ashes will be
interred at a later date in Fort Sill, Okla.
Memorials: Gifts may be made in his name to St.
Stephen Presbyterian Church or to the third floor
rehab ward of the Osteopathic Medical Center.
Col. Bearden was the second son born to Essie
Penland Ross and Fred Eugene Bearden. He began
this life on March 26, 1923, in Spartanburg, S.C.
An avid reader, he became, in many respects, a
self-taught historian and initially pursued a
career in music. With the advent of World War II,
however, he enlisted in the infantry branch of the
Army on Oct. 6, 1942, at Fort Jackson, S.C. It was
a decision that ultimately led to his career with
a specialty in Army aviation.
Col. Bearden served not only in World War II, but
also in the Korean War and Vietnam War, as well
as military police actions in the Belgium Congo
and Morocco. For his service, he received the
following commendations: National Defense Service
Medal with oak leaf cluster, Army of Occupation
Medal (Germany), American Campaign Medal,
World War II Victory Medal, Combat Infantryman
Badge, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign
Medal, Air Medal with numeral 7, United Nations
Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, Legion of
Merit with oak leaf cluster, Vietnamese Cross of
Gallantry with palm, Vietnam Service Medal with
three bronze service stars, Meritorious Service
Medal and Unit Citation and Presidential Unit
Citation.
Later in his career, he was school brigade
commander of the Primary Helicopter School at
Fort Wolters. In 1973, he served as professor of
military science at Texas Christian University
until his retirement in 1974. After retirement, he
remained active in several military retired
service organizations, Meals on Wheels, and as a
docent at St. Stephen Presbyterian Church.
In 1947, Col. Bearden married Stefanie Kopetzki, a
young woman he met while acting as military
governor of a hamlet near the Czechoslovakian
border in Germany.
Survivors: His wife, Stefanie; their three
children, William A. Jr. of Los Alamos, N.M.,
Robert L. of Walnut Creek, Calif., and Susan E. of
Rush Springs, Okla.; and grandchildren, Jennifer
Ann, Emily Jeanne, James William Bearden and
Matthew Garrett Cope.
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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