William Raymond Homiller Jr.

William Raymond Homiller passed away February 29, 2012 at Hospice Atlanta. Mr. Homiller was born in Tomah, Wisconsin on February 20, 1920. He was the only child born of William R. and Rena Miller Homiller. He lost his mother at seven years of age and was reared by his loving paternal grandparents, William C. and Julia Homiller. He attended Tomah schools, after which he worked briefly in the Wisconsin State Legislature at Madison, Wisconsin, as Secretary to the Lt. Governor, while attending college classes. After Pearl Harbor, he was assigned to the Army Security and Intelligence School in Chicago, Illinois, as a Security Intelligence Agent. Officers Candidate School followed and he graduated Second Lieutenant, Infantry Corp of Military Police, which offered an assignment as Intelligence Officer of a highly classified army program with headquarters in New York City. After eight months he transferred to the Washington Headquarters of The Office of The Provost Marshall General prior to being deactivated in 1945. After two years, he was re-activated by the U.S. Army as a First Lieutenant in the Corps of Military Police and assigned to the European Command where he assumed the role of a Criminal Investigation Detachment Deputy Chief Agent and later responsibilities in various German cities prior to another deactivation before returning to civilian life. Mr. Homiller continued his education, enrolling in the Blackstone School of Law, in Chicago, Illinois, from which he received his Law Degree in 1960. Although he never engaged in private practice, he continued to pursue a role in business which put him in direct contact with many major defense and commercial aircraft companies on a world-wide basis, including European, Canadian and the United States. He remained in the aerospace industry for the remainder of his career. Mr. Homiller became very active in the Defense Education Department of the American Defense Preparedness Association for a period of six years. He also became very much in demand as an after-dinner speaker. Mr. Homiller was married in 1942 to Mary Ellen Casey of Chicago. After a long and happy marriage, she died in 1993, after a long illness. They had two children, who survive him. Mr. Homiller continued to live in his home in Northeast Atlanta, continuing his aerospace consulting work until his retirement. In August, 1993, he met Mrs. Eunice Byington Mastin, long-time resident of Dunwoody, and widow of Guy E. Mastin, former Company Counsel of Lockheed-Georgia Company for many years. Mr. Mastin died in 1989. After a long and beautiful courtship, they married in 2001 in Bermuda. Each year thereafter, for five years on their anniversary, they returned to Bermuda to celebrate their special day. He has been quoted as saying that “Eunice has blessed my life with much happiness in my later years.” They have continued to make their home in Dunwoody since their marriage.

Mr. Homiller was a person of many talents. He possessed an outgoing personality, one who never met a stranger, was always gracious and kind, His wife said she thought if they should be standing in a line of one hundred people, at the end of the line, by the time they made it up to the front of the line, Bill would know everyone in line and their life’s history. A people-person, he was called, with courtly manner, a gracious and thoughtful man, a graceful and polished waltzer. He possessed a sunny and witty disposition which endeared him to all who knew him. Mr. Homiller was a member of The American Legion, The Veterans of Foreign Wars, Dunwoody Post #10822, holding the office of Judge Advocate. In addition to his wife, Mr. Homiller is survived by his sons, C. Jerry Homiller, of Richmond, VA; his daughter, Kathy Stephens, of Marietta; two grandsons, William G. Homiller and Charles, J. Homiller, Jr., both of Richmond, VA; one granddaughter, Madison Perren, of Marietta, as well as four great-grandchildren. His body will be cremated and interred in the National Cemetery in Marietta. Reverend James L. Johnson will officiate a memorial service Saturday, March 3, 2012 at 2PM in the Chapel of H.M. Patterson and Son-Oglethorpe Hill. Full military honors will follow the service. Family will receive friends beginning at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to The Atlanta Arthritis Foundation-Atlanta Chapter, 2970 Peachtree Road, N.W., Suite 200, Atlanta, GA 30305