W. D. "Dee" Inglis (Tulia)

Tulia, Texas-W.D. "Dee" Inglis, 97, died on Thursday, October 29, 2020. A graveside service will be held at 11:00 am Monday, November 2, 2020 in the Rose HIll Cemetery in Tulia. Arrangements are under the care of Kornerstone Funeral Directors of Tulia. **Due to the changing world we live in today, we, as a family, have decided to forgo a formal visitation. Dee nor his family would want to put anyone in harm's way. Viewing is available at the funeral home in Tulia on Saturday, October 31st form 9-6 and Sunday, November 1st from 1-6pm. We also encourage you to sign the guestbook and leave a condolence for the family on our website @ www.kornerstonefunerals.com. ** Dee was born on February 28, 1923 on the family farm near Blair, Oklahoma. He grew up there until at the age of 13 his family moved to the Plains of Texas. He graduated from Anton High School and attended college in Altus, OK. During his first term Pearl Harbor happened. His dad insisted he finish the year of college. He enlisted in the Army and trained as a mechanic. There was a notice on the bill board looking for gunners, he applied and got Pursuit Armament Specialist and Heavy Bombardment Specialist certification. Waiting to deploy to the European Theater, he was notified he was accepted for Cadet Flight School. He trained in Bakersfield, CA, Hayes, KS and Las Vegas, NV. On his way to Florida to prepare for deployment he stopped in his home town to marry the love of his life, Clara Ann Anderson, and on March 7, 1945 they were married. They went to Florida together and had a three month honeymoon before he left for the Pacific Theater where he served under Gen. Curtis Lemay. His squadron flew from Guam, Titian and Sipan mostly. The B29 was a large plane to land on very small islands and made for tense takeoffs and landings. After the war he was stationed on Luzon Island in the Philippines for 3 months rebuilding Clark Field. Returning to Lubbock, Texas, he completed his college education at Texas Tech in 1948 with a degree in Agronomy, Entomology and Engineering. While finishing his degree his first daughter was born. Their second daughter was born two years later-a Christmas baby. Clara and Dee farmed in Anton and Pecos before moving back to the Texas Plains of Tulia, Swisher County, Texas. Another daughter and son joined the family. Living on the farm they raised a family. Dee served on the board of directors of the Tulia Wheat Growers Coop and the Swisher Electric Coop. In 1967 he received the Conservationist of the year award from the Tule-Creek Soil and Water Conservation District. He was an active member of First Baptist Church Tulia where he and Clara taught Sunday School for most of those years. He is preceded in death by his parents, one daughter: Marta Dee Schwede, one brother-in-law: Butch Finkner, one brother: Wayne Inglis and one sister: Patsy Anthony.
He is survived by two daughters: Melody Finkner of Lubbock, Marcia Nunn and husband Gene of Amarillo, one son: Kyle Inglis and wife Debbie of Highland Village, six grandchidlren and six great grandchidlren. Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church, 101 N. Crosby, Tulia, TX 79088 or to the American Cancer Association @ www.cancer.org.