William Travis Middleton, 80 years old, was born in Lewisburg, TN, August 11, 1941, to William Allen Middleton and Mabelline Clift Middleton. He was the eldest of three children, a brother Jimmy Dwight (Annie), and a sister Mona Middleton Brown (Dave).
He joined the Air Force in May, 1969 with a recommendation to be put in Armed Forces Radio and Television and was promptly sent to Phu Cat, Vietnam as a Security Police Officer until May, 1973. He returned home disillusioned by the reception the returning Vets received. He was blessed with a mellifluous voice and a talent for doing voice impersonations. He learned at an early age that he had a talent for making people laugh and that's what he loved to do. He got his BA in speech, Theater Arts and English at the University of Arkansa in Little Rock on the G.I. Bill. This lead to a life-long love of acting and the theater.
He was a gifted writer and wrote all of his own material. He wrote and performed a one man show on Mark Twain as well as one on Benjamin Franklin. He was a quick wit and was known for the original puns he came up with. He was beloved wherever he went. He loved people and they were drawn to him.
He lived in Kentucky, Rome Utica, New York, and Sarasota- Bradenton, Florida. He ventured west in 1985 and landed a job in Tucson, AZ as the morning DJ at KIIM FM and KCUB, known on air as Bill Marshall. His voice was heard on countless radio and television stations around Tucson. He played characters in movies and was Doc Barnes on the television series, The Young Riders.
It was here that he met and married the love of his life, Sally. He encouraged her to join him in theater productions.His family was the light of his life and he was their biggest cheerleader. He was so proud of his two sons who inherited his talent and his love of entertaining. His first son, Nathan Travis (Kelly) graced him with four grandchildren Morgan Middleton Cavin(Taylan), Michaela Middleton, Madeline Middleton, & Michael Travis Middleton and a great-grandson, Maxwell Nathan Cavin, age 2. His second son, Mark Middleton passed away June 4, 2010 from lymphoma and was a renowned nashville performer. His stepson, Jeff Gilmore (Dana) gave him two more grandchildren, Evan Gilmore and Jester Gilmore. He adored his six grandchildren who knew him as BaBaBill and all thought he was a Rock Star.
He died peacefully May 11, 2022 at TMC Hospice called Peppi's House. The family thanks the loving staff there who gave him the respite he sought. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Peppi's House given in his name.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.funerariadelangeltucson.com for the Middleton family.
A celebration of life on bill's birthday, with a open house / open mic "come join all who loved Bill" will be held Thursday, August 11, 2022 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Tucson Meadows in the Club House, 2121 S Pantano Rd, Tucson, Arizona.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.funerariadelangeltucson.com for the Middleton family.
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