WILLIAM T. TARLETON

William "Bill" T. Tarleton, Jr., age 88, of Columbia City, IN passed away at 7:35 a.m. Monday, September 9, 2013 at Parkview Whitley Hospital. Born on March 6, 1925 in Martins Ferry, OH, he was the son of William Sr. and Florence B. (Thompson) Tarleton.

He lived in Akron, OH, then to Fort Wayne before moving to Whitley County in 1969. He attended Brown High School in Cambridge, OH and received his GED with the Military and National Radio School in Cleveland, OH. He served in the United States Navy in the World War II and the Korean War. He married Esther F. Jones on July 12, 1947 in Cambridge. He retired in 1987 from Conrail with 39 years of services. He was a member St. Matthews United Methodist Church, the American Legion and Ft. Wayne Division of the Veterans Association of the Pennsylvania Railroad.

Survivors include his sons, William Tom (Annette) Tarleton, III of Clinton Township, MI; Robert P. (Maggie) Tarleton and David A. Tarleton, both of Columbia City; 5 grandchildren; and 6 great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents; wife; sisters, Arlene Stiffler, Betty Bates and Iona Lynskey; and a grandson, Jacob Tarleton.

A memorial gathering will be from 1 to 3 p.m., Saturday, October 5, 2013 at DeMoney-Grimes Countryside Park Funeral Home, 600 Countryside Drive, Columbia City with a memorial service at 3 p.m. Memorials may be given in memory of Mr. Tarleton to the Humane Society of Whitley County.