Celebrant Pam Meily Vetter


	Celebrating Life Everyone Has A Story...

Born in 1920, Wilfred John Raffle was the first born child to Mary and John Raffle of Salineville, Ohio. Known as Bill, he welcomed three brothers and a sister to the family. When he was only 12, his father left the family to fend for themselves during one of the bleakest economic periods in our nation's history. His mother was left to feed five children without an income. The family farm provided food while the older boys went to work. Bill quit school to work in the coal mines. His first paying job was to sort coal from the ore on the floor of the mine. For the rest of his life, he carried tiny specks of coal on his back from scraping against the top of the mine. By the age of 15, he lost his grandfather, whom he adored, followed by the tragic drowning of his youngest brother, Carl. It was difficult on the entire family, but Bill showed his strength by moving forward.

Bill moved to New York to live with his father, where he worked as a baker in a hotel. In 1941, he voluntarily joined the Marine Corps. While he was home on leave, Pearl Harbor was bombed and Bill was sent to the South Pacific because of his ability to bake. He became a cook. At times he struggled to feed hundreds of men with very few resources. Bill always said, "Poor people have poor ways," which requires one to become very resourceful. This philosophy served him well throughout his life. He could fix, make, or build anything. Bill loved the Marine Corps and shared memories of the good and the bad times he shared with his budies during the war. He told stories about making stump juice, otherwise known as moonshine. As a cook, he had access to yeast and the necessary ingredients. One time he and his buddies put this together and let it cure for several days in preparation for a USO show in Guadalcanal with Myrna Loy and Eddie Cantor. While in the Pacific, he contracted malaria and was sent to Australia where he met a beautiful woman named Alicia. She became the love of his life and they were married on September 4, 1943. Bill was sent back to the war and it would be two years later when they reunited. After the war, Bill was stationed at Camp Pendleton where he was reading the newspaper one morning noticed Alicia's War Bride number was listed as arriving in San Francisco the next day. He borrowed a car and drove all night to be there on time. As Alicia arrived on a ship, she easily spotted her tall husband, Bill, dressed in his Marine uniform.

The couple had two wonderful children: Margo and Dale. Bill bought a brand new post war ranch home in San Bernardino to raise their family. Bill became a grandfather four times with Mark, Matthew, Shayla, and Amber Lee. He was a wonderful father, grandfather and great-grandfather. At the age of 65, Bill retired with Alicia to Rosarito Beach, Mexico, where they shared thousands of beautiful sunsets on the ocean. They also held parties with endless streams of friends. The couple bought a motor home and they enjoyed traveling together, free of worries. Resilient and strong, Bill weathered many storms over the course of his life. Bill will be remembered as the nicest Dad anyone could ever want. He was a good, kind man who loved his wife with all his heart. His family is grateful for having him in their lives. Bill Raffle's positive attitude toward life will be carried on through the next generation.