William M. Wix

West Point, 1955

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by West Point 1955 on June 5, 2016:

William Mervin Wix USMA Class of 1955. Cullum No. 20219. William Mervin Wix was born in Harrington, Delaware, the son of Robert James and Virginia Pearson Wix. In 1951, he graduated from Harrington High School. At graduation in 1955, he entered the Signal Corps, serving for 28 years with tours of duty that included Korea; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Germany; Fort Leavenworth in Kansas; Headquarters Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, 1966 to 1967 and the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense in the Pentagon during 1967 to 1969. For his first assignment after branch school, he served with the 8th Infantry Division that relocated as a unit to Goeppingen, Germany in 1956. His longest tours were two stays at West Point in the Department of Social Sciences, as assistant professor during 1961 to 1965 and professor during 1969 1980. While preparing to teach, he earned a master's degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in political science in 1961. During his second tour, he earned a doctorate from Columbia University in political science in 1976. He supervised the core course in American Politics and the related political science electives. He also served as the assistant Army soccer coach under Joe Palone, as the team's officer representative; was the director of Debate for West Point and was active as a soccer referee. The Wix residence at West Point was known as the Delaware Inn, because of the cadets from Delaware sponsored by the family. During his Army career, he received the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation Badge, the Ranger Tab, and the Office of Defense Identification Badge. In 1980 he retired with the rank of Colonel from the United States Army. His civilian career was with International Paper in New York. He served as Director of Corporate Education, Director of Human Resources for pulp and paper and Director of Staff Employee Relations. In 1987 he moved to Memphis, Tennessee with International and retired in 1993. Next, he formed Wix and Associates, an executive assessment and development business. He worked in the Meeman Center for Continuing Studies at Rhodes College for three years. He was a member of Christ United Methodist Church in Memphis and the First United Methodist Church of Heber Springs, Arkansas. In July 1998, he was diagnosed with lung cancer. Survivors included his wife; two daughters and one son from his first marriage; two grandchildren; two sons-in-law and his former wife. Source: United States Military Academy Association of Graduates memorial. Birth: May 5, 1933 Harrington Kent County Delaware, USA Death: Oct. 31, 1999 Memphis Shelby County Tennessee, USA Family links: Parents: Robert James Wix (1898 - 1983) Virginia Pearson Wix (1903 - ____) Burial: United States Military Academy Post Cemetery West Point Orange County New York, USA Plot: Section XXVII, Row AA, Site 14.

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