- Date Of Birth: July 4, 1937
- Date Of Death: May 11, 2023
- State: Oklahoma
William (Bill) Erwin, of Cushing, Oklahoma, passed away on May 11, 2023, at the age of 85. He was born in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, to John and Gertrude Erwin. He moved with his family to Cushing at an early age.
Bill joined the US Navy in 1956. He served 3 years on a destroyer on Mediterranean cruises with a trip to the World’s Fair in 1958 in Ghent, Belgium; went to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba on shake-down cruise; 4 years with a Heavy Attack Wing staff in Sanford, Florida; 18 months with the Seabees with homeport in Port Hueme, CA, deploying to Okinawa, and served with a command in Oakland, CA assigning priorities of cargo into SE Vietnam. He left the Navy after serving 10 years to return to Cushing with his wife and children to help his father with his commercial printing and office supplies business. Bill assumed the business in 1975 and sold his business to retire in 1999.
Bill enjoyed traveling with his late wife, Beth (Lozier) Erwin in their fifth-wheel trailer after retirement. He also had numerous volunteer jobs in his retirement life as he liked to stay busy and be around people. He served over 3500 hours with the local hospital auxiliary, volunteered as the Program Manager of Lifeline for seniors, was a Master Gardener through OSU training and certification, delivered meals for the Senior Citizen center, volunteered at Love INC, was a precinct poll worker, worked as a Census Enumerator, managed the local Farmer’s Market, and was active with his Cushing high school reunions.
Bill is survived by his former wife, Joyce Erwin, and their children; daughter, Karen Bowles and husband Greg of Oklahoma City, and son, Mark Erwin and wife Tracy of Weston, Florida; grandchildren, Kristin Bowles, Josh Bowles and his wife Deborah, Jacob Erwin, and Evan Erwin; great granddaughter, Taylor Bowles, and step great grandson, Lucian Cook. Bill is preceded in death by his wife, Beth. He is survived by her daughters, Janice Cooper and husband Curtis, and Lissa Lozier; her grandsons, Jayson Cooper and Nathan Cooper and wife Jordan.
We would like to thank the staff at Sommerset Neighborhood Assisted Living Center and Traditions Hospice in Oklahoma City for the wonderful way they helped our dad in the last months of his life. Special thanks to his hospice nurse, Kierston!
