Freestone County, Texas Obituaries The Teague Chronicle. July 26, 2007 WADE THOMAS BOTTOMS (February 10, 1919 - July 23, 2007) Funeral services for Mr. Wade T. Bottoms were held Thursday, July 26th at Bowers Funeral Home. Rev. Jeff Powers offciated. Interment followed at Cotton Gin Cemetery with Masonic Graveside Rites and a US Army Honor Guard. The Masonic Rites were led by Durwood Bottoms, Wade’s cousin, and combined officers from Boggy Lodge #739 in Teague and Cotton Gin Lodge #154 in Kirvin. Mr. Bottoms passed away on Monday, July 23rd, at his residence. He is survived by his wife, Judy Bottoms of Teague; two daughters, two sons, eighteen grandchildren, nineteen great-grandchildren, numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives, and many friends. ===================================================================== The Teague Chronicle August 04, 2007 (also August 2, 2007) Former P.O.W. Wade Bottoms passes away July 24th Mr. Wade Thomas Bottoms, 1919-2007. Mr. Wade Thomas Bottoms was born in Freestone, Texas on February 10, 1919. When he was a teenager he hopped a ride on a freight train for Ft. Worth. From there he worked his way to California, always sending most of his money home to his family. When he was old enough to join the United States Army, he returned to Texas and joined at Fort Sam Houston in May, 1937. Wade left for the Philippine Islands in July 1940. War was declared in December of 1941 and General Wainwright surrendered on May 7, 1942. Wade was taken prisoner that day on Corregidor. He was in Bilibid, Cabanataun (Camps III then Camp I) and also Port Area prisons. He then spent 31 days in the hold of a ship so crowded no one could sit down. He was taken to Oeyemo prison in Japan. When the Japanese guards left them, the prisoners took a train and headed for Tokyo passing through Hiroshima. They could not figure out what had happened there. What little was standing, the ground and everything was black they had never heard of the atomic bomb. They knew the sun had disappeared for a few days. Wade was carried to the hospital ship "Marigold". Then he was flown to several different hospitals stateside. He spent a year and two months in hospitals and was a prisoner for three years, 4 months and 3 days. Wade returned to active duty on November 1946 and was stationed at Camp Bullis Military Reservation, North of San Antonio, Texas. A little over five years later he was back in the hospital at Brooke Army Hospital in Ft. Sam Houston. He received a medical retirement of 100% disabled in May of 1952. Wade moved his family home to their present home seven miles north of Teague. Wade married Julia (Judy) McCollum on November 22, 1946. They had two daughters and two sons. Their daughter Ann married David Hinkle and they have two sons: Michael Burnett and Davy Hinkle and one daughter, Miki Hinkle. Their daughter Ora married Dale Johnson and they have two daughters: Heather and April and one son, Charlie Johnson. Wade and Julia’s son Wade, Jr. (Tommy) married Janie Olsen and they have six sons: Ernie, Shane, Charles, Jeff, Erick and Christopher and two daughters Kimberly and Khrisma Bottoms. Their son Michael married Yim Chom Suk (Sue) and they have two daughters Andrea and Constence and a son Bryan Bottoms. Wade also has an adopted son, Rick Ogg and Godson Rick Prasil. Wade passed away on Monday, July 23, 2007, at home. He was 88 years old. He was buried at Cotton Gin Cemetery escorted by the Patriot Guard and had a Masonic service and full Military Honors on July 26, 2007. ===================================================================== [Wade Bottoms, 88, of Teague, Texas. Mr. Bottoms is a retired Army WW II veteran, and a survivor of the Bataan Death March in the Phillipines. He also miraculously survived 3 years of slave labor at the hands of the Japanese during the war. Mr. Bottoms passed away on Monday, July 23rd.]