William Hawkes Orne

Sumter, SC…Lt. Colonel William “Bill” Hawkes Orne Sr., US Air Force Retired, age 85, died on Sunday, June 13, 2021 at Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital.

He was the son of the late William and Marion Orne of Marblehead, Massachusetts where he grew up and acquired a great love for that seacoast community and its nautical life.

Upon completion of college in 1958, he entered the Air Force serving overseas in Morocco. During the Vietnam and the Cold Wars, he served in the Strategic Air Command with assignments in various command and staff positions in the Atlas and Minuteman Weapon Systems. He retired at Shaw AFB, after completing 24 years of service. He went on to receive a graduate degree in management and taught at Sumter Technical College.

He was a member of the Episcopal Church and served as warden and vestry member of former St. Christopher Episcopal, Sumter. He was also a member of the Church of the Holy Cross, Stateburg and served there as Treasurer.

He is survived by a son, William H. Orne, Jr.; two grandsons, Tanner Orne and Phillip Orne all of Little Mountain, SC; a sister, Ruth Melanson and two nieces, Lisa Melanson and June Ellen Duggan all of New Hampshire.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his loving, faithful wife of 49 years, Frances Churchill Orne, of Gadsden, AL.

A funeral service will be held on Thursday, June 17, 2021 at 11:00 at the Church of the Holy Cross with the Rev. Michael Ridgill officiating. Interment will follow in the Church of the Holy Cross Cemetery.

The family will receive friends on Wednesday, June 16, 2021 from 6:00-8:00 pm at Bullock Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 322 8th Ave, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10001.

You may go to www.bullockfuneralhome.com and sign the family’s guest book.

The family has chosen Bullock Funeral Home of Sumter for the arrangements.

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