2nd Lt. William R. Pixley

[ironputts]

May 2, 2020

2nd Lt. William R. Pixley
Maj. Don Beatty Composite Squadron 501
Pennsylvania Wing

William Rulison Pixley, 73, of Oil City, passed away unexpectedly at his home on Tuesday, April 21, 2020.

Born in Franklin on November 25, 1946, he was the son of the late Harold E. and Helen Schmermund Pixley.

Bill was a 1964 graduate of Franklin High School and then attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa for three years prior to enlisting in the United States Army. He served as an EOD during his time in Vietnam and earned the rank of SP4. He received two Army Commendation Awards and 1 Army of the Republic of Vietnam Award.

In 1972, Bill began working for PennDot as a Real Estate Specialist and worked in that capacity until 1978. In 1978, he began working as a Broker/Owner of ERA Allegheny Real Estate until 1993. He returned to PennDot in 1993 and worked for 13 years as District Chief Appraiser and then Right – of- Way Administrator. In 1997, he was awarded the PennDot Star of Excellence for his work. He retired from PennDot in 2007 and then began working at TranSystems in 2008 as a Senior Real Estate Specialist until he retired from there in 2016.

In 1996, he earned his Private Pilot's License. Since 2003, Bill has served in the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) as a 2nd Lt. in Squadron 501. During the summer of 2016 he was awarded the Commander's Commendation Award. In 2017 he was named the Counter Drug Member of the Year and in 2018 he earned the Norm Edwards Counter Drug Officer of the Year Award.
He was a member of the VFW, Franklin Moose and Franklin Elks Lodge.

Bill was the very best of fathers and adored his children. His compassion and love knew no boundaries and everyone he met fell in love with his warmth, positivity and kindness. Bill maintained a large circle of friends around the country with whom he communicated frequently. He enjoyed music, history and more recently traveling throughout Europe.

Surviving are his children; Camron Pixley of Oil City and Valeyne Grotrian and her husband Russell of Crystal Lake, IL; his former wife and mother of his children, Pamela Swasta of Franklin; sister, Cheryl Entress and her husband James of Wheeling, WV; seven nieces and one nephew; 28 great nieces and great-nephews and his companion Marsha Huff Miller of Franklin.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Marianne Mayes.