William Garlitz, Jr. Obituary

Bill passed away on April 28, 2012, at the age of 93, after a brief illness. Bill was born on June 24, 1918 in Salisbury, Pennsylvania to Romaine Deitz and William B. Garlitz, Sr. and was the oldest of five children. After graduating from high school, Bill enlisted in the US Army Air Corps in 1939. Pilot training began in 1940 with pilot assignment in 1943 in the B-17 assigned to the 390th Bomb Group (H) of the 8th Air Force stationed at Framlingham Air Station, England. He married the love of his life, Melba May Barnes, in 1941. She preceded his death just shy of 52 years of marriage in 1993. Bill retired from the USAF after 33 years of service at the rank of Colonel after arriving for duty at Ent Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado assigned to Aerospace Defense Command (ADC) in 1964. Retirement didn't last long as he went to work for the local Anheuser-Busch Distributorship in Colorado Springs, Colorado in Community Relations until 1992. Bill joined his son and family in Arizona on a full time basis in 2004. He is survived by his son, Bryan Garlitz; sister, Leora Ann Pletkovic; along with many nephews and nieces. Bill was a true example in all ways of "The Greatest Generation." In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to Wounded Warrior Project at www.support.woundedwarriorproject.org. Entombment will be at the Shrine of Remembrance Mausoleum, Gate of Heaven. Online condolences: shrineofremembrance.com