04/07/2026
William Thomas Proctor, “Bill,” was born August 27, 1930, in a cabin on the farm he was raised on near Gretna, NE. He attended District 11 country school and graduated from Ashland High School in 1947.
He enlisted in the US Air Force in October 1951, during the Korean War. He began his military career at Lackland Air Base in San Antonio for two weeks, then transferred to Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas, for Basic Training. From there, he was sent to Keesler Base in Biloxi, Mississippi, for schooling and on to Fort Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming for teletype and crypto school.
In 1953, he was sent to Brooks AF Base in San Antonio for a few months and finally to Camp Kilmer in New Jersey to finish his crypto training. In August 1953, he headed overseas for two years of unimaginable international adventures filled with travel, intrigue, and cultural experiences.
He was stationed at Burtonwood AF Base in England for a year. He was then sent to Frankfurt, Germany. During his service, he traveled to over 30 countries utilizing his skills in crypto. He was awarded the special recognition of “GLOBETROTTER”, as he traveled to over 30 countries during his military service. A few of those countries are: Iraq, Iran, Greece, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Ethiopia, Yugoslavia, Turkey, Lebanon, Israel, Syria, Cyprus, South Africa, Italy, Portugal, Austria, Russia, Poland, Belarus, Wales, England, Scotland, Norway, The Netherlands, Iceland and Senegal, (formerly French West Africa.)
He completed his service in September 1955 and was honorably discharged.
He returned to Gretna and, after 3 months of doing odd jobs, he decided to re-enlist for another 6 years. A few weeks before departing for England, and with very little time to plan, he married the love of his life, Anna Mae Schimonitz, on 12/22/1955 in Omaha, NE. Bill headed to England in January 1956, and his new bride followed in April, crossing the Atlantic on the USNS General H.F. Hodges ocean liner. Anna Mae had a long and arduous 9-day journey, as she was newly pregnant and experienced seasickness.
While in England, they welcomed their first 2 children. William Proctor, JR in 1956 and Susan Anne in 1957. After two years of living the British life, Bill was approved for early release to come back to Gretna to help farm. He was honorably discharged as a Staff Sergeant in 1958.
He spent the rest of his life in Gretna farming and living “the good life”. Three more children arrived: Edward John (1959), Laurie Jean (1960), and Judy Lynn (1965).
In 2014, he was awarded “VETERAN OF THE YEAR” by the Gretna American Legion Post. In 2022, he was awarded a “QUILT OF VALOR”, lovingly made and presented by his own nieces.
He passed away on the FOURTH OF JULY 2023!! What a tribute to the country he loved!
MILITARY HIGHLIGHTS: Standing in front of RED SQUARE (RUSSIA) with Captain Davis. Resolving difficult issues (that no one else could figure out) with Cryptographic coding machines in Oslo, NORWAY. This put him at the forefront of his superiors and resulted in numerous other similar assignments in other foreign countries. Having his picture taken on camels in CAIRO while they were filming “The TEN COMMANDMENTS”. He told us that the original pyramids were so decrepit and decayed that they had to build new ones (front façade only) to make them look authentic for biblical times. He also noted that the chariots they used for the film had rubber tires. �� Counting the huge lizards on the wall in his living quarters in ADDIS ABBA, Ethiopia, and noticing rugs made of monkey hides.
Other Highlights: He was proud to be a farmer and was known to sow the straightest corn and soybean rows of anyone in eastern Nebraska. He co-founded the first AA group in Gretna in his early 40s and faithfully led it every Friday night until he was 86 years old. He would be the first to arrive and make sure the coffee was on. Having it ready for anyone who needed support or a friend to listen.
