William Wolfe Jr.

MERRIAM, Kans. --William H. "Bill" Wolfe, 87, died Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2006, in Merriam, Kan.

He was born Nov. 14, 1919, in St. Louis, son of the Rev. William H. and Lena Lehman Wolfe. He and Gisele Pahin were married in 1957.

He attended Southeast Missouri State University, graduated from Northwestern University, and studied meteorology at the University of Chicago.

Wolfe was a major in the U.S. Air Force during World War II. He then worked in various phases of meteorology in the Philippines, Guam, Thailand, Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Alaska and Canada. He was last employed by the National Weather Service in the Severe Storm Center in Kansas City.

He received a medal from the secretary of commerce for federal service in the advance forecasting and warnings of the tornadoes and thunderstorms in 16 states April 23, 1982.

Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Carla Madrigal of San Francisco, Calif.; two sisters, Ruth Nothdurft of Dunedin, Fla., and Helen Ueleke of Cape Girardeau.

He was preceded in death by a sister.

A memorial service was held Nov. 25 at McGilley and Hoge Chapel in Overland Park, Kan.

Announcement courtesy of Ford and Sons Funeral Home.