Walter Ray "Buster" Bales

Walter Ray "Buster" Bales, 72, of Belton passed away peacefully on Monday, March 4, 2019 at the Community Living Center at the VA Hospital in Temple.

Funeral services for Mr. Bales will be held on Friday, March 8, 2019 at 10:00 AM at Miller Heights Baptist Church in Belton with Rev. Billy Johnson officiating. Burial with Military Honors will follow at Wilson Valley Cemetery near Little River/Academy.

Buster was born on November 9, 1946 in Cameron, Texas to Zane and Fannie (Pope) Bales. He moved to the Holland area and graduated from Holland High School. He attended Temple Junior College in Temple for a short time before joining the US Navy in 1966. Buster was stationed at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii and served honorably for four years before being discharged in 1970. He began a 30 year career with Wilsonart in Temple and after retirement worked for ten years for Don Ringler Chevrolet in Temple. Mr. Bales married Mary Peters in 1966 at Miller Heights Baptist Church in Belton, and he stayed a faithful member of Miller Heights until his passing.

Survivors include his wife Mary of Belton, daughter Jenefer Chrystal Roshell Bales Bissett and her husband Cody of Aledo, Texas sons Jonathon Craig Ray Bales and his wife Jenny of Iraan, Texas and Jeremy Casey Ryan Bales and his wife Shelley of Salado, Texas. Also surviving are brother William G. "Bill" Bales and his wife Nancy of Calvert, Texas, sister Elaine Bales Ocker and her husband Mike of Rosebud, Texas, and grandchildren Brandon and Kaytlyn Souder, Kelton Bales, Kaci Bales, Kix Bales, Cole Bissett, Reid Bissett, Hunter Bales, and Couper Bales.

A visitation will be held on Thursday evening from 6-8 PM at Dossman Funeral Home in Belton.