BETHANCOURT, Wiltz Joseph

Newspaper Unknown September 9, 2003 Col. Wiltz Joseph Bethancourt, US Army, Ret. was born to Mary Emma Perrenot Bethancourt & Wiltz Joseph Bethancourt, Sr., on March 20, 1917,on the Del Monte Ranch near Santa Rita, Grant County ,New Mexico. His family moved to Phoenix in 1929-Wiltz graduated from Phoenix Union High School and Phoenix College, marrying Marcella Inez Burnett in 1940. He served in WWII, Persian Gulf command of the U.S. Army, and also served in the Korean War. He continued as a career officer in Airborne infantry and Armor in the U.S. and Germany, retiring in 1961. He received his B.A. and M.A. from ASU and taught Science at JFK Middle School in Roosevelt School District and also in the Maricopa County junior college system in Phoenix. His wife, Marcella, died in 1986. He later married Mary Huntington Abbott, who died in 1998. He is survived by his children, W. J. (Joe) Bethancourt, III and Nancy Purtill, a sister, Marguerite Ice, of Millbrae, CA, a brother, Bruce Bethancourt, Sr., of Phoenix, 5 grandchildren, 1 great-grandchild & many relatives, students & friends. Services will be held on Wednesday, September 10th, at 7 p.m. at the church of the Epiphany 2222 S. Price Rd. Tempe, Ariz. Remembrances can be made to Hospice of the Valley or the Church of the Epiphany Memorial Fund, www.almooregrimshaw.com.