William Henry Mixon

Shreveport, LA - William "Bill" Henry Mixon, age 72, died at home in Shreveport, Louisiana, surrounded by family, on August 27, 2015, after a long battle with cancer. Bill will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 44 years, Karen, three children and their spouses: Angela and Lyn Lawrence, Rachel and Andrew Jacobs, Nathan and Emily Mixon. He also leaves behind six cherished grandchildren, Peyton, Harrison, and LauraLeigh Lawrence, Abigail Jacobs, Brewer and Marcy Helen Mixon. Those left to remember Bill are his mother Ann Mixon, his sister Betty Geyer and husband Roy, his brother Ronnie Mixon and wife Jody, his sister Donna Chandler and husband Don, his brother Mark Mixon and wife Wendy, his sister Kathy Garrelts and husband Scott; and a host of nieces and nephews. Bill is predeceased by his father John David Mixon, mother Clarice Mae Hermes. Born October 16, 1942, in Pennington, Chattanooga, Tennessee, to Clarice Mae and John David Mixon, he graduated from Fair Park High School in Shreveport, in May 1960. Bill enlisted in the United States Marines in July 1960, were he served 8 years with distinction. He served two tours in Vietnam that included the ambush of his unit on August 22, 1965, in Hoa Lac, Quang Nam Province, South Vietnam, where he assumed command of his company after his commander and sergeant were critically injured. Exposing himself to intense enemy fire, organizing and encouraging the able-bodied and tending to the wounded and firing their weapons, Mixon led the platoon in repulsing "three violent Viet Cong attacks and inflicted numerous casualties on the guerillas." His citation reads "upon hearing that a relief force was on the way, he stood again exposing himself to the enemy and leading to the extraction of his unit." For this gallantry and intrepidity in action he was awarded the Silver Star Medal and a Presidential Unit Citation. Upon discharge from the Marines, Bill returned to his home town of Shreveport where he joined the Shreveport Police Department serving his community for 23 years. Bill retired from the Shreveport Police Department in 1994 and continued his law enforcement career working with the Caddo District Attorney's Office until his death. Bill was an avid sports fan and loved watching the LSU Tigers and New Orleans Saints (when they were winning of course). In his younger years he loved playing fast pitch softball with friends from the Shreveport Fire and Police Department. Later, he coached his son Nathan in Baseball and until his death he enjoyed following his grandchildren in the sports they were playing. His favorite pastime, in addition to traveling and spending time with family and friends, was the weekly Tuesday golf game he enjoyed with life-long friends. The Visitation and Memorial Service will be held at the Rose Neath Southside Chapel. The visitation will be Monday, August 31st from 5:00pm until 7:00pm. The memorial service, Officiated by Father William Bryant, will be held on Tuesday, September 1st at 10:00am. Bill will be laid to rest with full military honors at the Northwest Louisiana Veterans Cemetery, 7970 Mike Clark Road, Keithville, Louisiana at 12 p.m. Tuesday, September 1st. Pallbearers will be Willis Carter, Scott Garrelts, Andrew Jacobs, Harrison Lawrence, Lyn Lawrence, Spencer Pellegrin, and Sam Ziegler. Honorary Pallbearers are Willie Joe Green, Gary Lindsay, Rodney Litton, and Danny Olds. In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to the Shreveport Police Officers Association P.O. Box 3886, Shreveport, Louisiana 71133 or the Northwest Louisiana Veterans Home, 3130 Arthur Ray Teague Parkway, Bossier City, LA 71112.