William N. Carruthers

William Neely “Bill” Carruthers, Sr., 89, a lifelong resident of the Arlington Community and currently a resident of Kirby Pines Retirement Community, went to be with his Lord and his beloved wife March 3, 2012. He was born at his parents’ home in Bolton, TN on March 2, 1923 and passed away at Kirby Pines. Mr. Carruthers was preceded in death by his wife, Martha Pope Carruthers, his parents, Nathan Clyde Carruthers, Sr. and Clyde Garrison Carruthers, and a brother, Nathan C. Carruthers, Jr. He is survived by his son, William N. “Bill Jr.” Carruthers, Jr. of Bolton, TN and nephew, Snowden Carruthers (Alice). Mr. Carruthers was a retired resident of P&C Oil Company, a business which he began and worked for 25 years. He was a member of Arlington United Methodist Church, where he served as Chairman of the Board three times and taught Sunday School, a former Alderman for the Town of Arlington, and a member of the Masonic Lodge, Scottish Rite and Al Chymia Shrine. He was a 1943 graduate of Bolton High School. Bill, a WWII veteran, served in the Fifteenth U.S. Army Air Force, where he attained the rank of Technical Sergeant. He was the engineer and top turret gunner on a B-17 that was flying out of Amandola Field in Foggia, Italy, when it was shot down over Brux, Czechoslovakia, on December 25, 1944. He loved to tell about how after an emergency landing his crew was housed by Russians, scrapped parts from a downed B-17 to repair their engines, and flew at low altitudes between the mountains to avoid German radar. They returned to their base on January 16, 1945 after being classified as “Missing in Action” for over twenty days. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, March 7 from 12:30 p.m. until service time at 2 p.m. at Memphis Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens on Germantown Road. Burial will follow in Arlington Cemetery, Arlington, TN. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Online condolences may be expressed at www.memphisfuneralhome.net Memphis Funeral Home And Memorial Gardens 3700 North Germantown Rd. (901)725-0100