William George

Erck

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IN LOVING MEMORY

William George Erck

Dec 25 1916 - Mar 13 2005

Lt. Col. William George Erck Jr., age 88 of McKinney, Texas, passed away March 13, 2005 in McKinney. He was born on December 25, 1916 in Jones Prairie, Texas to William George and Pennie Lodema (Jones) Erck Sr. He graduated from high school in Calvert, Texas in 1934 joining the Civilian Conservation Corps in July. In August 1936, he was accepted as a freshman at Trinity University on an academic scholarship in Waxahachie, Texas and remained enrolled in the CCC. In the spring of 1939, he completed his junior year at Trinity and was discharged from CCC. He then moved to Greenville, Texas to be with his family and worked at Lov-Knit Manufacturing Company. He enrolled in Baylor University in the fall of 1939 and graduated in the spring of 1940 with a BA degree. During the summer and fall of 1940, he produced and broadcast a weekly radio program in Greenville that was broadcast over the Texas State Network Station KPLT located in Paris, Texas. That fall he was recruited by a Reserve Officer in the Army Air Corps and was accepted as a Flying Cadet in the Air Corps. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lt. with the Silver Wings of a Pilot and in 1941 he began his active duty as an Advanced Flight Pilot Instructor at Mather Field in Sacramento, California where he had been commissioned. He retired from the U. S. Air Force with the rank of Lt. Colonel. He also worked in management for Sears, Roebuck, and Company for 33 years. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in McKinney. Survivors include his wife, Rita Clark Erck of McKinney; his son, William George Erck III and his wife, Sally of Needville, GA; brother, Louis C. Erck and wife, Ruby of Missoula, Montana; sister, Ida Lee of Marina Del Ray, California; the Clark family; and numerous other loving relatives and friends. His parents, his first wife, Joanna; his second wife, Evelyn; and a brother precede him in death. A funeral service will be held at 2:00 PM Wednesday, March 16, 2005, at the First Baptist Church, 1615 W. Louisiana in McKinney. Interment will be held at 3:00 PM, Thursday, at Forest Park Cemetery, 12800 Westheimer, Houston, Texas. Visitation will be from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM Tuesday at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home.
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