Another of the “Greatest Generation” has gone on to his reward.  Bill Storey, 86, of Pinewood, died Wednesday, February 26, 2014, after a short stay at Houston Hospice, in Houston.

A native of Colquitt County, Georgia, he was born March 21, 1927, to Benjamin and Louise Storey. Bill Storey was a soldier and an engineer by his trade.  He left home at the age of seventeen and as so many of his generation did, he lied about his age in order to serve his country. Bill served in the Navy during World War II on the USS New York during the invasion of Okinawa.  It was aboard this ship that he saw the end of the war.  After WWII, Bill joined the United States Army and served on the front lines during the Korean Conflict where he saw some of the worst action of the war as a combat engineer.  He also served in Austria and on the front lines of the Cold War near the East German Border, was also in the service during the Vietnam War, and retired from the Army in 1967 at Fort Hood, Texas. After retirement, he joined the Boy Scouts of America in Cameron and Waco, Texas, as a District Scout Executive and later, after moving to Pinewood, became Chief Road Engineer at Kirby Industries and Louisiana Pacific constructing bridges and roads in the forests of Southeast Texas. Bill also was instrumental in the ground floor organization of the Pinewood Volunteer Fire Department. 

Bill was preceded in death by his wife of sixty years, Doris Shores-Storey and his sister Ann Chafin.  Survivors include his sons, Doug Storey and his wife, Karen Storey, of Houston and Greg Storey of Lufkin; grandchildren, Dustin Storey, Carly Wingeart-Storey, Lacy Storey, Jacob Storey, Connor Storey, and Joshua Storey. In addition he is survived by four great-grandchildren; sister, Eleanor Storey of Moultrie, Georgia; and brother, Richard Storey of Bradenton, Florida. 

A memorial service for Mr. Storey will be 1:00 p.m., Thursday, March 6, 2014, at Broussard’s, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont. A family committal was held at Broussard’s Crematorium, Beaumont.

In lieu of flowers, please make memorial contributions to Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center at their on-line donation center:

http://www.volunteer.va.gov/apps/VolunteerNow/

A poem by an unnamed poet:

We didn't do much talking,
We didn't raise a fuss,
But Korea really happened,
So please-remember us,

We all just did our duty,
But we didn't win or lose,
A victory was denied us,
But we never got to choose,

We all roasted in the summer,
In the winter, damm near froze,
Walking back from near the Yalu,
With our blackened, frozen toes.

Like the surf the enemy kept coming,
With their bugles in the night,
And we fired in to their masses
Praying for the morning light,

All of us just had to be there,
And so many of us died,
But now we're all but half forgotten,
No one remembers how we tried,

We grow fewer with the years now,
And we still don't raise a fuss,
But Korea really happened,
So please-remember us.

Please celebrate Bill’s life because it was well lived.  Do not mourn his passing rather celebrate his life.  He was a Dixieland Jazz historian of sorts and one of the lines in one of his favorite songs goes like this:  "I thought I heard Buddy Bowlen say, open up that window and let the bad air out". Put on the music and TURN IT UP!!!