Billy Dean “Bill” Mankin, 88 of Chetopa, died Tuesday January 31, 2023 at Freeman West Hospital in Joplin, Mo. Bill, son of Charles Pearl Mankin and wife Helen Land Mankin, was born February 13, 1934 in Carterville, Mo.
Billy was united in marriage to his surviving wife, Deanna Joy Meadows of Chetopa, to whom he loved deeply for 22 years until his death. Also surviving are his three children; eldest Brad Mankin (wife Sarah) of Murfeesboro, Tenn. and their four children and thirteen grandchildren, Craig Mankin of Colorado Springs, Colo. and Cheri Stevens (husband Scott) of Los Angeles, Calif.
Soon after High School Bill enlisted in the United States Navy. He was assigned to duty during the Korean War. Due to his exceptional mathematical abilities, he soon became a Navigational Bombardier Aviator working onboard an F9F-3 Panther aircraft to successfully carry out multiple Korean War missions for the United States Military. On one mission his plane received severe enemy fire and he was injured in the air battle. He was later recognized for his valor by the U.S. Navy and was awarded a Purple Heart Medal.
Bill later attained a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics and a Master’s Degree in Business from Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif. Bill’s career began at IBM as an Electrical Engineer and then for Fairchild Electronics. He moved on to become the founder and partner of the prestigious electronics sales firm Centaur Corporation, based in Irvine, Calif. that employed three dozen people for more than 18 years. He was a hobbyist pilot flying a Cessna out of John Wayne Airport in Irvine, Calif. and was an avid whitewater rafter. He had a great love for all the islands of Hawaii and enjoyed a full and active retirement in Missouri with his wife Deanna.
Memorial services will be announced at a later date, with cremation arrangements being under the personal care and direction of Parker Mortuary in Joplin, MO where he will be commemorated, and remembered always.