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Submitted: 5/13/22 • Approved: 5/16/22 • Last Updated: 5/19/22 • R512976-G0-S3
US Army Air Forces
World War II
April 9, 1922-May 23, 2016
*Photo, courtesy of Mary (Coggin) Russell
*Obituary
A Memorial Service for Miles Caudle, 94, will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday June 4th in the Lamar Room of King's Manor Methodist Home with the Reverend Jim Bulin officiating and King’s Manor Chaplain Dennis Latham assisting. Services are under the direction of Hereford Heritage Funeral Home, 411 E 6th Street, Hereford, Texas 79045. Mr. Caudle passed away peacefully on May 23rd at King’s Manor/Westgate.
Born April 9, 1922, in Runnels County, Texas, to James Edward and Alva Akins Caudle, Miles grew up in the Lamesa area, attended Dawson County Schools, and worked as a clerk for the Lamesa Cottonseed Oil Company prior to enlisting in the U.S. Army Air Forces in 1942. During World War II, he served as a B-26 flight engineer/crew chief before converting to the B-17. As a member of the 490th Bombardment Group (Heavy), he flew 35 combat missions over occupied Europe from his base in Eye, England as an engineer/top turret gunner in the B-17G. In recognition of his combat service, he was awarded 6 Air Medals and the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 4 Bronze Service Stars. He was honorably discharged from the service in September 1945 and attended Texas Technological College (now Texas Tech University) where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics in 1949. On a blind date arranged by mutual friends, he met his true love, Ella Vogler. They were the first couple to be married in the small wedding chapel at the First Baptist Church of Lamesa, TX on June 8, 1957, and they were together for over 55 years before his beloved wife went home to be with the Lord in 2013. Although they both grew up in farming families near Lamesa, Miles and Ella’s first home together was in Pasco, WA. Later they moved to Spokane, WA (where their daughter was born), and then to Manhattan, Kansas (where their son was born) while Miles worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and remained engaged in personal farming and ranching operations. After retiring from the USDA with 27 years of service, they moved to Hereford in 1977 where they farmed southwest of town for over 30 years. Miles and Ella maintained a large garden for many years and they greatly enjoyed sharing their fresh produce with friends and neighbors. They also invited children from the First Baptist Church Kindergarten and from several other schools out to their pumpkin patch each October to let the children pick their own pumpkins. Miles was a long-time member of First Baptist Church where he served as a deacon and was involved in many other church activities. He was also a member of the American Legion (where he served in various roles over the years, including president), the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), the 490th Bomb Group Association, the Texas Tech Ex-Students Association, the National Association of Retired Federal Employees, and several other community and service organizations.
Miles was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Ella (Vogler) Caudle on February 20, 2013; four sisters, Jade Caudle, Elsie Caudle, Grace Harris, and Martha Booth. Survivors include one daughter, Linda, and husband, Howard Perry of Hereford; one son, Mike Caudle, and wife Jennifer, of Georgetown; one granddaughter, Sherilyn Caudle of Amsterdam, Netherlands; four grandsons, Miles Perry and wife, Jessica, of Buda, TX, Kyle Perry of Newberg, OR, Jared Perry of Hereford, and Joshua Caudle of Georgetown; one great-granddaughter, Ava Perry; one brother, Jehu Caudle of Greenville, TX; one sister, Joe Biggerstaff of Plano; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Memorials, in lieu of flowers, may be made to King’s Manor Methodist Home, 400 Ranger Dr., Hereford, TX 79045 or Samaritan Hospice, 426 Main St., Hereford, TX 79045. The family would like to express tremendous thanks to all of the staff members of Westgate/King’s Manor and Samaritan Hospice who helped care for Miles.
www.herefordheritagefh.com
Contributed on 5/13/22 by neldapat
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Record #: 512976