Willis Albert Oakley

Willis Albert Oakley, aka “WA5ET”, “Diddar” and “Bill”, was born in Burnet County, Texas to George Albert Oakley and Caroline Carrie Mallett on October 16, 1929. His father died in 1936 and he and his brother Roy were raised by their mother living in Johnson City and Lampasas. He graduated from Lampasas High School in 1948 where he participated in the ROTC. After graduation, Bill enlisted in the US Air Force where he spent 22 years before retiring as a Senior Master Sergeant.

Prior to enlistment, Bill had an early interest in electronics and communication. He helped get the first broadcast radio station in Lampasas on the air. This led to his Air Force service in these fields. During his time in the Air Force, his duty stations covered the globe and included Nouasseur Air Base, Morocco; Clark Air Base, Philippines; MacDill AFB, Tampa Florida; Ellington AFB, Houston, TX; Randolph AFB, San Antonio, TX; Camp Walker, Taegu, Korea; Luke AFB, Phoenix, AZ; James Connally AFB, Waco, TX; RAF Wethersfield, Essex, England; Bergstrom AFB, Austin, TX; and Udorn Royal Thai AFB in Udon, Thailand, finally retiring from Bergstrom AFB in 1974.

After retirement from Bergstrom, the family continued to reside in Austin where Bill worked in the microwave communication industry for Southwest MicroNet, Western Union, Verestar, and ATC Teleports, always in the same building in East Austin. One of his favorite memories of this was broadcasting the Dallas Cowboys practices when they held their summer training camp at St. Edward’s University. He was also a regular at the capitol when the legislature was in session tending to the microwave antennas on the roof.

Bill (WA5ET) was active in Austin Ham Radio organizations and a regular at radio relays, transmitter hunting and swap meets. In addition to radio, he enjoyed motorcycling and the Model A club.

Soon after enlistment, Bill married Barbara Sue Gilmore in 1952 in Georgetown where she attended Southwestern University. They were married almost 53 years until her death in 2005. In 2008 he married Sally Coleman Dacres and they were together until her death in 2021.

Bill is survived by son Richard Oakley, daughter Christine LeClair and husband Don, daughter Lisa Smith and husband Z, son Wayne and wife Gwen, grandchildren are Becky Oakley, Jessica Oakley, Jon Oakley, Brent LeClair, Suzanne LeClair, and Tyler Smith, and long-time best friends Gene and Barbara Rowell. Bill was preceded in death by his parents and only sibling Roy on December 25th, 2021.

Visitation will be at 6 – 8 p.m., Wednesday, January 25 at Clements-Wilcox Funeral Home, Burnet, Texas. Funeral service the following day 11:00 a.m., Thursday, January 26 at the same facility. Full military honors and interment will follow at Rock Church Cemetery near Rumley in Lampasas County at 2:00 p.m.

Those named as pallbearers were Richard Oakley, Wayne Oakley, Becky Oakley, Jon Oakley, Brent LeClair and Tyler Smith. Honorary pallbearers named were Don LeClair, Jessica Oakley, Suzanne LeClair, George Oakley and James Oakley.

Condolences and fond memories may be made to www.clementswilcoxburnet.com