Bill Alford

Funeral services for Bill Tom Alford, 85, of Harker Heights, will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Church of Christ, 400 N. W.S. Young Drive in Killeen with Dan Carter, Boyce Edwards and Skip Blancett officiating. Burial will follow at the Killeen City Cemetery. Mr. Alford died Jan. 16, 2011, at his home after a long illness.

He was born June 11, 1925, near Gatesville, to Albert A. and Isa Curry Alford.

Mr. Alford died peacefully at home with his family by his side.

He attended Gatesville schools and was president of his class for all four years in high school. When he graduated, on his 17th birthday, he immediately joined the Navy. After basic training in San Diego, he was shipped to the South Pacific, where he was in several major battles, including the Battle of Peleliu. When he returned to the U.S,. he served at several bases before being honorably discharged after three years of wartime service.

Mr. Alford graduated from Texas Wesleyan University in 1946. He served as president of the Veterans Club and was a member of Shikara, a fraternal organization. During college, he was the recipient of the Golden Shears Award for Popularity and won a poetry reading contest.

In October 1949, he accepted a job teaching science and history at Avenue D Elementary School in Killeen. Mr. Alford and Dr. Norman Hall originated the organized athletic program for junior high students in KISD. In 1950 the Killeen Schools began a program whose goal was to keep students in school. Mr. Alford took the job of visiting teachertruancy officer and began to develop this new program. He served as vicepresident of the state Visiting Teacher Association and also served on various committees.

On his birthday, June 11, 1953, Mr. Alford married George Ann Clark of Rosebud, an English teacher at Avenue D Elementary School.

He was a charter member of the Killeen Exchange Club and its third president. He served on several local and state committees.

During the early 60s he served on the Killeen City Council. During this time, Rancier Avenue was widened, and the airport, city hall and library were built. During his terms on the council, he served on several committees including Gov. John Connallys State Committee on Tourism. He resigned late in his second term to move out of the city limits.

In 1963, being interested in Indian lore and wanting to promote local tourism, Mr. Alford purchased and began developing a piece of property southeast of Killeen known as Comanche Gap.

The local tourist attraction included a small private zoo, a museum of artifacts and antiques, and a Trading Post. Indian dances, Wild West shows and outdoors melodramas were staged on the weekends. On Tuesday evenings he emceed a live variety show which was broadcast on local radio. Comanche Gap was closed to the public in 1971.

In 1979 Wild Bill initiated the Medicine Man Award. For the next 31 years on the first Saturday in May at a barbecue at the Gap, a local citizen was honored with the Medicine Man Award indicating that he had made good medicine helping others, especially young people.

In 2002, Mr. Alford was honored with the Golden Deeds Award given by the Exchange Club of Killeen.

He was a member of the Church of Christ, the American Legion and the Texas Retired Teachers Association.

Survivors include his wife, George Ann Clark Alford of Harker Heights children, Stephen and Claire Alford of Southlake, Thomas and Patty Alford of Coppell, David Alford of Grapevine, and Melanie and Pat Reed of Corinth grandsons, Christopher Alford of North Richland Hills, Kenneth Alford of Southlake, Danny and Kara Alford of Kansas City, Mo., Michael Alford of Sherman, and Ethan Reed of Corinth brother, Raby Alford and his wife, Lenola, of Gatesville and sisterinlaw, JoAnne Alford of Victoria.

He was preceded in death by his parents his brother, Dr. W. Jack Alford of Victoria and his daughterinlaw, Shawn Denise Alford of Allen.

Memorials may be made to the Cherokee Home for Children, P.O. Box 295, Cherokee, TX 76832, or online at www.cherokeehomeforchildren.org.

Visitation is from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at HarperTalasek Funeral Home, which is in charge of arrangements.

Visitation

HarperTalasek Chapel
506 N. 38th Street
Killeen, TX  76543
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
57 pm

Service

Traditional

Church of Christ
400 N W.S. Young Dr.
Killeen, TX  76543
Thursday, January 20, 2011
10:00 am

Cemetery

Killeen City CemeteryHa
2800 E. Rancier Ave
Killeen, TX  76543

Memorial Contributions

PO Box 295
Cherokee, TX  76832