Lt. Col. Roy W. Bickley USMC (Ret.)

SAN DIEGO - Lt. Col. Roy W. Bickley (Ret., U.S. Marine Corps) passed away Friday, May 1, 2009, in San Diego, California.

Born December 7, 1919, in George West, Texas, he was the son of the late Rev. Joseph Wilson and Bessie (McRoy) Bickley, and had attained the age of 89 years. He married Wanda Alberini in 1946 and they later divorced. He married Marilyn Weidemann in 1960, and she preceded him in death in 2006. Along with his parents, he was also preceded in death by his brother, Joseph Bickley and his sister, Marie (Bickley) Jackson.

Mr. Bickley enlisted as a private in the United States Marine Corps in July 1938 and served during WW II and the Korean conflict, retiring as a Lt. Col. in 1959. During WW II, he was in the 4th Marine Division, which was the first to land on Iwo Jima. He was wounded in the Battle of Iwo Jima, for which he was recommended for the Navy Cross for his heroism in leading 25 missions in 3 days to secure the beaches. He was also awarded some 19 medals including the Legion of Merit (with the Combat V), two Bronze Stars and the Commendation Medal.

Mr. Bickley became a real estate broker and was the owner of Bickley Realty in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he lived for nearly 40 years. Throughout his life, he was a member of many professional and civic organizations. Roy was an avid sports fan and a keen observer of life.

He is survived by one sister, D'Emery (Bickley) King (husband J.D. "Dewey") of Jayess, Mississippi; three daughters, Lesley (Bickley) Ozier of Lewis Center, Ohio, Susan (Bickley) Sitko (husband, Steve) of Springfield, Illinois, and Nancy (Bickley) Collora (husband, Jim) of Fenton, Missouri; one son, Joseph Bickley of San Diego, California, five grandsons, Geoffrey Ozier, Gregory Ozier, Tyler (wife, Brittany) Sitko, Kyle Sitko and Casey Sitko; two great-grandchildren, Gregory Christopher Ozier and Payton Anne Sitko; two sisters-in-law; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews, cousins, extended family and host of friends (including his beloved Old Farts Club in Santa Fe).

Interment will be at the Santa Fe National Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to The Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation at http://www.mc-lef.org/Home.aspx or The ASMBA STAR Foundation at http://asmbastarfoundation.com.