Roy Ollis Wilham

Services for Roy Ollis Wilham, 94, of Thomasville will be held at 11:00 am, Monday, July 16, 2012 at Trinity Anglican Church. Rev. James Hobby and Rev. Sharon Hobby will officiate and interment will be in Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati, OH with military honors. Mr. Wilham passed away July 11, 2012, in Thomasville. Born July 18, 1917 on the Combest Farm near Gilpin, KY to the late Alvin Elkins Wilham and Cara Combest Wilham. On September 24, 1955 in Norwood, OH he married Alzier Leone Cowan of Thomasville, who survives. Mr. Wilham was graduated from Hughes High School in Cincinnati, OH in the depression year of 1935; he worked in a paper mill until he enrolled in the University of Cincinnati in 1936 when he volunteered for the Army ROTC. He graduated in 1941 and was called to active duty as a 2nd Lieutenant with the 103rd AA AW Battalion at Fort Sheridan, ILL. He went to Ireland in early 1942 and was attached to the 1st Armored Division for the assault landing in North Africa. They were then reassigned to the 1st US Infantry Division for the assault landing at Gela, Sicily and later at Normandy, France. He received the following decorations and citations; Europe African Middle Eastern Medal with seven battle stars and bronze arrowhead, the bronze star Medal with "V" for Heroism, Presidential Unit Citation, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Honorable Service Lapel Button WWII and the Marksman Badge with Pistol Bar. He was discharged from the Army on February 13, 1946 with the rank of Major and remained active in the Corps of Engineers Reserve until discharged July 18, 1968 as Lieutenant Colonel. He then operated a consulting engineer office in Cincinnati, OH from September 18, 1947 until September of 1957; he worked as structural engineer for the US Army Corps of Engineers from 1957 until 1967 when he transferred to Federal Emergency Management Agency FEMA in Thomasville, GA as director of their Technical Services. He won his battle with cancer in February 1968 but lost his right leg but continued to work for FEMA until his retirement on January 30, 1988. Other survivors include his son, Don Wilham and wife Tricia of Tallahassee; brother, Donald R. Wilham and wife Marianne of Cleveland Heights, OH; brother-in-law, Abe Cowan and wife Mickey of Shreveport, LA; sister-in-law, Grace Pierce and husband Don of Lafayette, CO and numerous nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Trinity Anglican Church, 325 W. Jackson St, Thomasville, Ga 31792. The family will receive friends 4-6 pm, Sunday, July 15, 2012, at Trinity Anglican Church. Guests may sign the online register at www.allenfh.com