William Southall

William A. Southall, 87, died Saturday, March 8, 2008, at the Colmery-O'Neil Veterans Medical Center Topeka, KS. He was born December 1, 1920 to Joseph and Clara Dunlap Southall in La Grande, Oregon.

He graduated from Union High School in La Grande and then enlisted in the Army Air Corps. He was stationed in Hawaii and the Philippines. He was taken Prisoner of War by the Japanese on the Bataan peninsula and was a survivor of the Bataan Death March. He was moved to several P.O.W. camps in the Philippines and then transported to Moji, Japan. William was sent to Kamioka, Japan to mine lead until the end of the war. He returned to Fitzsimons General Hospital and discharged in the March 1946. After his return to civilian life, he worked for the City and County of San Francisco, the May Co., the City and County of Denver and the J.L. Jacobs Personnel Consulting firm in Chicago, IL. During his tenure with the J.L. Jacobs firm he prepared personnel surveys and job evaluations for the cities of San Francisco, Chicago, Baltimore and Boston. William then lived six years in Iran preparing personnel surveys and job evaluations for the oil companies. After his return to the United States he returned to Topeka and became a private contractor.

He married Patricia Grace on July 15, 1947. He is survived by his wife and daughter Karen Cope and husband David. He was preceded in death by a son Wm. Michael, brothers Sam and Eugene. He is a survived by four grandchildren; Lisa Germann (husband B.J.); Sarah Fair (husband Matthew) both of Olathe; and Justin Cope and Kacie Cope both of Topeka; and five great-grandchildren; Haley and Kaleb Miller, Cory and Tyler Germann and Andrew Fair.

Cremation is planned. Memorial services are scheduled for 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, March 12, 2008, at Mount Hope Chapel in Topeka. Inurnment will be at the Mount Hope Mausoleum. Memorial contributions suggested to Helping Hands Humane Society 2625 NW Rochester Rd. Topeka, 66617.