William Medellin

MEMORIAL SERVICES : Memorial service will be held at 10:30 AM on Friday, February 7, 2014 at the Hubbard United Methodist Church in Hubbard,MN. William Medellin July 27, 1930 - February 3, 2014 William Medellin, age 84, of Park Rapids, MN, passed away Monday, February 3, 2014 at the Veterans Hospital in Fargo, ND.Bill was born on July 27, 1930 in Los Angeles, CA, the son of Mariano and Maria (Maynez) Medellin. He grew up and attended school in Los Angeles, graduating from Garfield High School in 1948.In November 1950 he joined the Air Force. His love of airplanes led him into a career of flying. In January 1951 he was assigned to Lackland AFB in Texas where he began his career in the United States Air Force. In November 1954 Bill was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant and was assigned to Toul-Rosier Air Base in France. While in France he married Kathryn Kirmis on July 6, 1957.After numerous assignments and participation in the Vietnam War, Bill retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in June 1973, having served a distinguished twenty-two years as a pilot in the United States Air Force. In September 1973 the Medellin family moved to Mesa AZ where Bill attended Arizona State University graduating with a Master"s Degree in Counseling Psychology. He worked for the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation until 1991. Bill and Kathryn left Arizona in 1995 eventually settling in Park Rapids in 2001. Bill is survived by his wife: Kathryn, children: Matthew Medellin of Montclair, NJ, Marta (Martin) Thompson of Hancock, MI and three grandchildren: Marie, Nathaniel and James.He was preceded in death by his parents, son: Paul, and sister and brother-in-law: Ophelia and Ray Askins. Memorial services will be held at 10:30 AM on Friday, February 7, 2014 at the Hubbard United Methodist Church in Hubbard, MN. Interment will be at a later date in North Dakota.