Billy (Bill) Brackett, 79, died Wednesday, August 27, 2008 at an Abilene medical center.
Services will be 10 a.m. Tuesday at Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home Chapel of Faith, 5701 Hwy 277 South with Pastor Steve Joiner officiating. Interment will follow in Elmwood Memorial Park, directed by Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home. The family will receive friends at a visitation 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at the funeral Home.
Billy was born on May 13, 1929 to Arba Louise (Howell) and Albert Grady Brackett in Atlanta, Georgia. He was the son of a Navy chief who was killed in the South Pacific in World War II.
Bill enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1951 in Atlanta, Georgia. He trained and served at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi; Sandia Base, New Mexico; Hunter AFB, Georgia; Carswell AFB, Texas; Patrick AFB, Florida; and was part of the 25th Atomic Test Group at Kirkland AFB, New Mexico. Bill continued his career as a nuclear weapons technician at Eglin AFB, Florida; Bitburg AFB, Germany; Langley AFB, Virginia; was detached to 183 TUSLOG in Murteg, Turkey; and finally to Dyess AFB where he retired as a Master Sergeant in Abilene.
Bill was an avid car enthusiast and spent many happy hours tinkering in the garage and restoring cars, boats, motorcycles, and anything else that needed mechanical aptitude for repair. He participated in a local bowling league for many years and was a loving caregiver to his wife, Billy Jean Brackett.
Bill is survived by a son, John Brackett and wife, Debbie, and a daughter, Penny Smyth; six grandchildren, Kristi, Kelly, Alicia, Ursula, Marc, and Sarah; and three great-grandchildren, Kory, Kira, and Kalin.