William Bill Stahl

Funeral services for William “Bill” Stahl, 87, are set for one o’clock in the afternoon on Tuesday, December 3, 2012 at Memorial Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. J. B. Barnes officiating. Burial will be in the White Sulphur Cemetery located in Pickwick State Park.

Mr. Stahl died on Saturday, December 31st. He was born and completed grade and high school in Siloam Springs, AR. He served as a radio operator and a mechanic on a B-29 bomber in the Pacific Theater during WWII, completing 35 missions against main land Japan, operated a 75 watt transmitter in both voice and code and was based in Guam, Marianna Islands, Scott Field, IL, and Madison, WI. Among other decorations, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with Three Oak Leaf Clusters.

After his discharge, he finished his pre-law studies at Arkansas Tech University and obtained his law degree from the University of Arkansas. In 1950, he was elected city attorney of Siloam Springs, but only served a few months before being recalled to active duty. During this tour, he served for three years during the Korean War as an Army Judge Advocate.

Upon his second discharge, he practiced law in West Memphis, AR for 10 years. During this time he was named as the “Outstanding Young Man in West Memphis” in 1958, served as Arkansas Judge Advocate of the VFW, local and state President of the Arkansas Jaycees and as President of the Crittenden County Bar Association.

In 1964, he accepted a position as an attorney for the Army Corps of Engineers, and after assignments in various states, he came to Iuka as the Chief of Real Estate for the divide cut of the Tombigbee Waterway. After his retirement from the Corps of Engineers, he returned to Iuka where he served in numerous volunteer capacities. He was President of the Friends of the Iuka Library for over 10 years and named the outstanding “Friends Volunteer” for the State of Mississippi in 1980. Other office’s included a term on the City Planning Commission, various offices in the United Methodist Church, teacher of the Young Adults Sunday School Class, President of the Iuka Rotary Club and was awarded the Paul Harris Fellowship.

He is survived by his wife, Bonnie Barnes Stahl; one son, Dana Stahl and wife Linda; one daughter, Margaret Sanders and husband Maury; four step-sons, Monte Strong and wife Barbara, Tim, Stan, and Jon Sutton; eight grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be on Monday, January 2nd from 6:00 P.M. till 8:00 P.M. and from 11:00 A.M. till service time at the funeral home.