William Alton Gautney

William Alton GautneySan Antonio, TX – Funeral  service for William Alton Gautney, 94, will be Saturday, October 29, 2011 at 4:00 p.m. at Radney-Smith Chapel with Rev. Thompson Pitts officiating.  Burial will be in Marble City Cemetery in Sylacauga, AL with full military honors.Visitation will be Saturday, October 29, 2011 at 3:00 p.m. at Radney-Smith Funeral Home.Mr. Gautney died October 25, 2011 at his residence.  He was a decorated veteran of WWII (Army-Air Corp).  He is the first man from the state of Alabama to be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (1943).  This medal is for extraordinary bravery and honor in the battle and is second only to the Congressional Medal of Honor.  On his first visit back to Alabama and to his hometown (Sylacauga) after winning, he was honored all over the state – including an official dinner given by the governor at the state’s capital.  His squadron was stationed in England where his crew flew more than 30 bombing missions over Nazi Germany (including the city of Berlin).  He was among the few men to survive from his squadron.  Their mortality rate was over 80% in just one year.  â€œBill” Gautney went on to a distinguished career in the United States Air Force.  He was part of the elite “brain factory” of the USAF military intelligence community whose primary responsibility was the decoding of secret messages during the Cold War with Soviet Russia.  This was in the days before they had computers and other sophisticated technology to aide in this critical counter intelligence.  He received many more medals and honors during his 26 years of service, including the Purple Heart.Bill Gautney was also on extremely gifted musician.  He played many instruments, but was especially talented as a guitarist.  Anyone who ever heard him or played in a band with him knew it.  He played exactly like one of his idols, Chet Atkins.  His band “back” or performed with some of the most famous Grand Ole Opry stars of the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s.  Among them were stars such as Hank Williams Sr. (a close personal friend), Mama Maybelle and the Carter Sisters, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Hank Snow, Charlie Pride, Tex Ritter, Earl Flatt and Lester Scruggs, Willie Nelson, Little Jimmie Dickens and many more.  His talent as a musician was a life- long source of joy.He was married for 53 years to his beloved wife, Maxine Davis Gautney (who preceded him in death 10 years ago).  She was also a native of Sylacauga.  They were married on February 14, 1946 in Sylacauga.  They lived most of their years as an Air Force Couple in San Antonio, Texas and in Honolulu, Hawaii.  In 1967, they retired in San Antonio where Mr. Gautney lived until his death on October 25, 2011.He was preceded in death by his wife, Maxine Davis Gautney; son, Ray Gautney; daughter, Rita Gail Gautney Lichty; grandson, Jeff Bower.He is survived by his 3 daughters, Rosie Bower, husband Dr. Roger Bower, of Ormand Beach, FL, Toni Baron, husband Dr. Fred Baron, of El Campo, TX and Michele Moorad, husband Dr. Philip Moorad, of Helotes, TX; 9 grandchildren, Rebecca Heizer, husband Brian, of Richland, TX, Cathy Baron of Los Angeles, CA, Lisa Moorad of San Antonio, TX, Michael Moorad of Venice Beach, CA, Stephen Baron of New York, NY, Rick Gautney of Waterloo, IA, Susie Bower Cellini, husband Chris, of CA, Matthew Lichty and Peter Lichty of IA; 8 great-grandchildren, Mason Heizer, Lela Heizer, Dominic Cellini, Dustin Bower, Austin Bower, Justin Bower, Pierce Bower and Drue Bower; and granddaughter-in-law Brenda Bower.