William Choate Obituary

William C. Choate, 83 yrs., passed away on Wednesday, April 22, 2009, at the Golden Living Center Nursing Home in Frankfort.
A native of Franklin County, KY, he was born September 5, 1925. Mr. Choate was the youngest child of Lewis Garrett Choate and Nellie Choate. He was predeceased by two brothers, Douglas and Charles Choate, and a sister, Marie Choate Storey.
He was married in 1954 to the late Tressa Barnett Murray Choate, who passed away in 1997. They had one son, William G. “Willy” Choate, and a granddaughter, Jessica Choate Thurman; great grandsons, Timothy Choate and Justin Thurman. He also raised 3 stepchildren, Roy Murray (deceased), and James Murray and Donna Marcum, both of Tennessee. He had many step grandchildren and step great grandchildren.
Mr. Choate was drafted in the Army on November 22, 1943, while a senior at Bridgeport High School and later received his diploma while serving his country. He was a combat engineer with the 279th Battalion, Company C. He served in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. He saw action on Omaha Beach, cleared minefields during the fighting at the Battle of the Bulge, as well as the last days in the Battle for Munich. As a combat engineer, he was constantly in danger of enemy fire, working with very little cover, he and his unit cleared mines, built bridges and constructed structures for the Army. During the winter of 1945, he suffered severe frostbite to both feet and legs and nearly lost both feet. He spent 8 months in a hospital in England recovering before returning home in 1946 as a T-5 Corporal with an Honorable Discharge.
A member of Evergreen Baptist Church, he spent his career as a carpenter and built many homes and buildings in and around Frankfort. He will be sadly missed by all who knew him.
Flowers are welcome, but expressions of sympathy may be made to Hospice of the Bluegrass, 208 Steele Street, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601.
Services will be conducted graveside at Sunset Memorial Gardens, Woodford County, at 2:00 p.m. Monday, April 27, 2009. Rev. Vernon Carpenter will officiate. Burial will follow at the Sunset Memorial Gardens. Military honors will be observed graveside by members of VFW 4075. Visitation will be 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Monday, April 27, 2009, at Harrod Brothers Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be family and friends.
Category:Obituaries
Category:Stories from the Barnett Family