William Hackler "Bill" Gullette, Sr., 93, of Carthage, passed away on Monday morning, Jan. 18, 2016, in Carthage. He was born on Jan. 9, 1923, on the Gullette Family Farm in Van Buren, Ark to the late Charles Richmond Gullette, Sr. and Carrie Hackler Gullette. He graduated from Van Buren High School, earned a Bachelor's of Science degree in Agriculture from the University of Arkansas, and earned a Master's of Science degree in Biology from Stephen F. Austin State University. He served his country in the U.S. Army Air Corps as a navigator and bombardier during WWII. Mr. Gullette's plane was shot down over Germany and he was a POW in Barth, Germany for 6 months before the liberation. His brother, Charles Richmond Gullette, Jr., preceded him in death, having been killed in action during WWII. He married Geneva Mizell on Sept. 22, 1951, in Texarkana and she preceded him in death on Dec. 3, 2003. He began his career working at the Arkansas Dept. of Agriculture. Later he worked for Purina Feeds and H.J. Baker. Mr. Gullette taught biology at Panola College for many years and was instrumental in starting the vocational and technical programs. Mr. Gullette moved to Carthage in 1957, from Winnsboro, LA. He was a member of the Carthage Noon Lions Club where he served as past-president. Mr. Gullette was a long-time member of the First United Methodist Church where he was a member of the Loyal Sons Sunday School class. Through the years, he served many rural churches as a lay speaker, often for months at a time. He was a man of great faith, a devoted husband, father, and grandfather.

Mr. Gullette is survived by his daughter, Becky Gullette of Carthage; sons, Bill Gullette, Jr. and wife Jane of Longview and Ben Gullette and wife Elizabeth of Chapel Hill, NC; sisters, Cynthia Ann Gattis of Van Buren and Sarah Alice Bosley of Pepperell, MA; and grandsons, Peter and Will Gullette. Numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and many friends also survive Mr. Gullette.

A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 22, 2016, at the First United Methodist Church with Revs. Keefe Cropper and Leah Hanks officiating under the direction of Jimerson-Lipsey Funeral Home. Interment will follow with military honors at Odd Fellows Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday at the funeral home.

Pallbearers are Peter Gullette, Will Gullette, Jim Watson, James Moon, Paul Bauer, and John Hamilton.

Honorary pallbearers are the Loyal Sons Sunday School Class.

The family would like to extend a special thanks to the staff of Winkler Place and Heart's Way Hospice for the loving care shown to Mr. Gullette.

If desired, memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, 201 S. Shelby, Carthage, TX 75633, Mission Carthage, P.O. Box 1208, Carthage, TX 75633, Panola College Foundation, 1109 W. Panola, Carthage, TX 75633, or Asbury House, 320 S. Center
Longview, TX 75601.

A guestbook may be signed online at www.jimerson-lipsey.com.