Wesley Othell Means

Wesley Othell Means was born on August 17, 1923 and was welcomed into the arms of Jesus on March 20, 2021. He had an amazing 97-year life on this earth and considered himself very blessed. The son of Romulus and Era (Baldree), he was born in Trent, Texas, and grew up mostly in Parker County where his family farmed and where, by his account, he reckoned he had climbed every tree worth climbing. He also could be found lying on the grass looking up at the clouds and dreaming. He had three siblings - S.A., Doris, and Vera Lee. Between his tree climbing, dreaming, and farming he found time to letter baseball at Peaster Rural High School and graduate as salutatorian. Any plans he may have had after high school were changed by World War II when he, like most young men of his age, joined the Army Air Corps. After training as an arial gunner he was selected for training as an armament specialist working on the machine guns of B-24 bombers. He was stationed at Rackheath AB, Norwich, England with the 467th Bomb Group (H), 8th Air Force in 1944 – 45. After being discharged from the Army Air Force he came back to Weatherford to pick up his life post-war. A need for surgery at the Medical Surgery Clinic in Weatherford changed his life forever when he met a young nurse and fell in love. Wesley and Viola Greer married in 1951 while they were both working at Convair in Ft. Worth on the B-36. Their beautiful story would last 66 years until Viola’s passing in 2017. In 1952, he joined the U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey and he and Viola and their growing family spent the next 17 years traveling all over the United States, including Alaska, Hawaii, and parts of the Caribbean. They lived in travel trailers as the party would move every few months as the surveyors did their work. In 1969 he and Viola bought a home in Weatherford so their five children could stay in one place and finish school their high school years in their hometown. This brought a big sacrifice as Wesley continued to travel with the Coast Survey with everyone joining back up in the fall and summer. Wesley and Viola’s love survived and thrived through long Sunday phone calls and letters as they maintained two households and raised their kids. Wesley retired from the Coast Survey in 1979 and enjoyed several employment adventures in and around Weatherford before finally settling at Brock ISD where he worked for 17 years into his eighties. He loved Brock because he loved kids and they loved him. Wesley was a long-time member of Hilltop Baptist Church in Weatherford where he also served as a deacon. In 2012, he and Viola moved to Valley Center, California to live with his daughter, Phyllis, and son-in-law, Roy, where he passed away on March 20, 2021. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Viola; sons, Randall Means and Wesley Means; his parents and siblings. Wesley is survived by his children, Gary Means of Weatherford, Russell Means (Donna) of Houston, Phyllis Knight (Roy) of Valley Center, CA; grandchildren, Shea Knight, Randy Means, Jesse Means, Ryan Knight, Amy Gratts and Matt Means; and his beloved great-grandchildren. Wesley Means will be buried at a graveside service with military honors at 10:00am on March 27, 2021 at Memory Gardens of the Valley Perpetual Care Cemetery, 5600 Mineral Wells Hwy, Weatherford, Texas. Arrangements are being handled by White’s Funeral Home, Weatherford. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to your favorite charity in his name.