Louis Bara Ortiz

Funeral services for retired PSGT Louis B. Ortiz, 86, of Killeen, will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Killeen. Burial will follow in the Killeen City Cemetery. A time of visitation will be held at Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home Chapel from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday evening with a rosary recited at 7:00 p.m. Mr. Ortiz died on June 18, 2011.

He was born October 8, 1924 in Olustee, Oklahoma.

He retired from the Army in 1963 after serving 20 years and was a former employee of the Civil Service Commission as a Communications Supply Officer of the United States Army Communications Command of Fort Hood, retiring in 1987 after 24 years of service.

Ortiz was a veteran of WWII and the Korean conflict. He was awarded the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, World War II Victory Medal, Army Occupation Medal (Japan), the Good Conduct Medal with four clusters, the Philippines Liberation Ribbon with one Bronze Star, the American Defense Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the American Theater Service Medal and the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 1 battle star. He was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, a member of the Legion of Mary, President of the “Morning Star Curia”, President of the Miraculous Medal Presidium, and a Eucharistic Minister. He was a 4th Degree member of the Knights of Columbus, Council 4724, FR. Francis R. Weber Assembly 1532.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Emilia, and three brothers Jim of San Angelo, and Frank and Fred Ortiz of Lawton, Oklahoma.

Survivors include six sons, Dennis, of Vienna, Virginia, Andy, of Copperas Cove, Karl, of Killeen, Paul, of Round Rock, Greg, of Battlecreek, Michigan and Steve, of Copperas Cove; three daughters Dorothy Baird, of Killeen, Karen Woods, of Copperas Cove, and Janet Ortiz, of Round Rock; one half-brother, Robert Martinez, of Minnesota; one sister, Lucille Wiley, of New Mexico, and one half-sister, Caroline Salazar, of Oklahoma City; 20 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren.

Words of comfort may be shared with the family at www.crawfordbowersfuneralhome.com.