More detail on this person: Merle Eugene
Bounds, 87, a long-time resident of Williamsburg,
died peacefully on November 2, 2013 after a long
struggle with dementia. Mr. Bounds' life was the
story of the 20th century. Born in the Roaring
Twenties, he spent his early childhood on a farm
in dust bowl Oklahoma. As a young teenager, he
left home to work in the oil fields and then in
the shipyards of Long Beach, CA. At 16, he
enlisted in the United States Marines and fought
in the Pacific in World War II. After the war, he
attended Oklahoma State University on the G.I.
Bill, then was commissioned into the United States
Army as a reserve officer. He fell in love with
and married a Virginia school teacher, Nancy
Heffernan, in 1951. He flew fixed wing aircraft
and early helicopters in the Korean War, served in
Cold War Europe, flew helicopters during two tours
of Vietnam and retired from the Army in the early
70's with numerous commendations including two
Bronze Stars and three individual Air Medals. In
1965, he built a home in Williamsburg, VA. After
retiring from the Army, he worked for the
predecessor to Sun Trust Bank in Williamsburg,
retiring as a Vice President after a full second
career. He was a long-time parishioner of St. Bede
Catholic Church and a member of the Kiwanis Club.
After retirement, he traveled widely with his wife
and enjoyed visiting his children and
grandchildren. After his wife's death in 2008, Mr.
Bounds lived in Windsor Meade of Williamsburg
until moving to assisted living in Northern
Virginia to be near a daughter in 2012. Mr. Bounds
is survived by his children, Kevin B. Bounds of
Virginia Beach, Ann Bounds Newell of McLean, and
Jane Dannehl Strautz of Onley, six grandchildren,
his oldest sister, Gladys Presnell and his
youngest brother, Gary L. Bounds. A Memorial
Mass will be held at St. Bede Catholic Church,
3686 Ironbound Rd., Williamsburg, VA at 11:00 on
Saturday, November 16th.
Published in Daily Press on Nov. 12, 2013
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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