Col. William A. Roemer, US Army Retired

Colonel William A. Roemer, U.S. Army Retired, 93, of Phoenix, AZ, died Thursday, November 13, 2014 in Phoenix, AZ. Col. Roemer was born in Bowling Green, Kentucky on June 29, 1921. He entered federal service with the Kentucky National Guard on January 17, 1941. He served as private to the First Sergeant until July 8, 1943. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Infantry at the Officers Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia on July 9, 1943. He retired as a Colonel in the Field Artillery on July 31, 1968 and received the following decorations and awards: Legion of Merit, Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, British Military Cross, Belgium Fourragere, Combat Infantry Badge, European Theater of Operations Campaign Ribbon with five battle stars, and Korean Theater of Operations Campaign Ribbon with three battle stars. He was a graduate of the University of Maryland with a Bachelor of Science degree and George Washington University with a Master's degree in Business Administration. Col. Roemer served as a member of the staff and faculty of the Field Artillery School, Fort Sill, Oklahoma; Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and the Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia. After retirement from the Army, he was employed by Ingalls Shipbuilding Company in the Operations division from 1968 until 1983. Col. Roemer was preceded in death by a sister, Genevieve R. Travis and a brother, Joseph S. Roemer, his first wife, Lillie R. Roemer and his second wife, Sara H. Roemer. He is survived by his daughters, Charliene Roemer (Michael Collins) of Ocean Springs, MS, Joanne Roemer of Houston, TX and Karen R. Paxton (Donald Paxton) of Phoenix, AZ; a son, Kurt R. Roemer (Beverly Roemer) of Stockton, CA; and eight grandchildren, Katherine Paxton, Christopher Roemer, Elizabeth Pomerleau, Lauren Roemer, Lydia Collins, Lillian Collins, Thomas Roemer and Rebecca Paxton. Col. Roemer was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Ocean Springs, Mississippi prior to moving to Phoenix, Arizona. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to a charity supporting military veterans. A private family service is planned and the Ocean Springs Chapel of Bradford O’Keefe Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.