William Thomas Wilborn's Obituary
Colonel, William T. Wilborn, United States Air Force, retired, passed away on March 14, 2014. Colonel Wilborn was born in Missoula, Montana May 16th, 1922 where he lived until 1942. His parents were Charles M. and Ruth Wilborn. He was the 4th and only surviving sibling of 4 children. His sisters were Ruth, Harriett, and Lucille. Colonel Wilborn attended elementary and secondary schools in Missoula, Montana. He graduated from Missoula Central High School in 1941 and completed one year of college at Montana State University, Missoula, Montana, prior to entering the Army Air Corps as an Aviator Cadet in September 1942. He received a Bachelor Degree in Education from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 1962, and a Master’s Degree in International Affairs from George Washington University in 1963.During his long and honorable career in the United States Air Force, Colonel Wilborn served with courage and distinction. During World War II he flew 30 combat aerial missions as a B-17 bombardier and logged 237 combat hours in the European Theater of Operations.Colonel Wilborn served with distinction in many key Air Force Research and Operations positions. Previous service included assignments with the Strategic Air Command as the 305th Bomb Wing Operations Officer and as Test Director of the Strategic Air Command’s Project Office at the Air Proving Ground Center. He also served as Deputy Director of the Joint Research and Test Activity, United States Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. Colonel Wilborn retired from military service as Chief of the Strategic Division, Directorate of Operational Requirements and Development Plans, Deputy Chief of Staff, Research and Development, Headquarters United States Air Force.He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross; Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters; Army Commendation Ribbon; and the Bronze Star Medal and the Air Force Commendation Medal.Colonel Wilborn retired from the United States Air Force in June 1966, with over 23 years of active military service. He was promoted to Colonel on 25 March 1963.Colonel Wilborn worked for North American Aviation Corporation/Rockwell International in Tulsa, Oklahoma from 1966 to 1976 as the Program Manager for Department of Defense programs.After retirement from industry in 1976 he devoted much of his time to his beloved ranch on the Cimarron River in Creek county Oklahoma where he raised cattle and horses until 1993. During this period Colonel Wilborn became a skilled and licensed racing horse trainer, an accomplishment he was very proud of.He was married to Rosemary Jenkins Wilborn of Savannah, Georgia. They raised three surviving children – Virginia Lynne (Tulsa, OK), Terry Lea (Tulsa, OK), and Charles Maynard (Corrales, NM). Colonel Wilborn has a fourth surviving son, William Francis (Reno, Nevada), from an earlier marriage.Following the death of his wife Rosemary in 1991, Colonel Wilborn reunited with Betty Jo Oase James, a childhood friend from Missoula, Montana. They were married in 1993 and resided in Yuma, Arizona and owned homes in Yuma and Murrieta, California until her death in 2000. Colonel Wilborn maintained homes in Yuma and Murrieta returning to Tulsa, Oklahoma in July of 2012.Colonel Wilborn did not attend church but he was a faithful believer that Jesus Christ is our Savior.Colonel Wilborn had many special friends over his lifetime. Of note are Chuck Dishno of Dillon, Montana and Colonel Rick Hudlow of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.William T. Wilborn remained active whether in his military and civilian careers or later in retirement. He dearly loved working hard on his ranch taking care of his animals and the land. He was dog-lover, importing an English bulldog from England after World War II. He always owned a dog or more throughout his lifetime. He was a self-made historian of the Presidents of the United States, reading countless books and sharing his findings with the family. He loved a challenge, devoting himself later in life to become proficient with personal computers, email, and modern cell phones.He would say his greatest accomplishment was unquestioned love of and by his family.
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