Cecil Finis Waddle

1935 - 2016

Waddle, Cecil Finis
passed away on 07/17/2016. Cecil Finis Waddle, 81, died Sunday, July 17, 2016 at Banner Desert Medical Center from complications following surgery. He is survived by his wife of 15 years, Saundra Morgan-Waddle; his sons, Rick Waddle and Mike Waddle; his daughter, Patty Waddle; his stepdaughters, Lisa Martinez (Ray Moyá ), Leslie Jeide (Brian); his grandchildren, Tyler Waddle, Melissa Waddle (Allyn) and Jalen Waddle (Jennifer); his step-grandchildren, Michelle Martinez (Cesar Medina-Torres), Albert Martinez, Steve Martinez and Tina Martinez, Michael Martinez and Daniel Martinez, and Josh Jeide, Grant Jeide and Natalie Jeide; many great grandchildren; his brother, Cledis Waddle and his closest cousin, Frances Rackley. Cecil was born in West Helena, AR, and raised in Judsonia, AR. He grew up working in the fields picking cotton and strawberries and the like in the Depression Era South. He also spent a lot of time fishing and hunting with his dog on his own when he was young. He loved and played high school basketball. High school ended early for him after a devastating tornado leveled the town of Judsonia and killed his father. Cecil joined the US Army to support his widowed mother. He served in the Korean Conflict, where he went to what he referred to as 'cook's school.' He returned to the US, married and was stationed at Edwards Air Force Base where they started their family. He was stationed in Germany for two years. They had a son, Bobby Waddle, that was still-born and they buried him there. He was stationed at Presidio of San Francisco where he finished his military service, until he joined the Army Reserves later in life. Cecil returned to Arkansas and worked for his brother in his tool and dye business, until he lost his fingers on one hand in an on the job accident. Cecil moved his family to Mesa, Arizona in 1962. He drove a milk delivery truck for Shamrock, he loaded and delivered lumber for O'Malley Lumber Company, and then he went to a trade school to learn how to fix televisions. He worked at Color City TV in Mesa and ATV in Phoenix until he decided to work for himself in the late 70's into the mid-to-late 90s. He was well-known as Cecil the TV man. He was proud to be 20-year Cancer Survivor. He was a great dad and he helped whom ever, where ever and whenever he could. Please visit www.melcherchapelofroses.com to leave a message in Cecil's guestbook.