Lloyd Rathmell served his country during WWII in the United States Army and was at the Battle of the Bulge. He achieved the rank of Tech. Sergeant.
After his military service, he married the love of his life, Dorothy. He found a job in Cleveland, Ohio, became a volunteer firefighter and worked for 911 dispatch. He was a Master Mason, a 32nd Degree in the Scottish Rite, a Shiners member and a Knights Templar.
He and his wife later moved to Killeen, Texas to be with family.
On January 15, 2010, Patriot Guard Riders converged on the Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home in Killeen and formed a line of American Flags at the entrance to welcome family and friends as they arrived for funeral services. The Riders then led the funeral procession to the cemetery for interment services.
At the cemetery, the Riders formed a line of American Flags along the committal shelter as military honors were rendered by a Honor Guard of the United States Army. Taps was played, and the flag that had draped the casket was folded into a tight triangle and presented to Dorothy.
This proud veteran, a member of the Greatest Generation, was then laid to rest on the rain swept grassy plain of the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery as the American flag on the hill flew at half-staff in his honor.
Left to cherish his memory are his wife of sixty years, a daughter and her husband, two granddaughters and many other family and friends.
With thanks to the Killeen Daily Herald for biographical information.
thank you so much for putting this page together. He was my uncle,friend,confidant, and the one who got me interested in being a volunteer fire fighter. You have paid a great tribute to a person who I feel is and was a great man.
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