William Leroy Woolford

William Leroy Woolford, 78, of Brighton, departed this life on Jan. 2 at the Citizen’s Memorial Hospital in Bolivar. He was born Sept. 2, 1939, in Howell County, Missouri.

Bill was a workaholic until his health began to fail and even then he’d push himself to get work done. He wasn’t always as friendly as he was at one time, which some mistook him for being an angry man. In reality he would give you the shirt off his back if he felt you needed it.

Bill was small in stature but was well known for his athletic skills. He loved baseball and played American Legion and Van Johnson Leagues. Bill loved to tell stories and you can be sure 50% of them were true. You just weren’t sure which 50%. His two children and five grandchildren loved to hear his stories and will take great pride in passing them along on the family tree. We all loved his bad jokes and stories and are sure he is sharing them with the most radiant smile in Heaven now.

Bill and his family moved to Cedar County and he attended El Dorado Springs school.

Bill grew up during World War II and was raised by a single mom. Life was hard and the lessons he learned left him a kind, humble and God-fearing man.

Bill was preceded in death by his mother, Thelma Hulett, a brother, Elmo, and an infant brother and infant sister.

He is survived by three sisters – Wilda Carnett, Darlene Thrasher and Betty Wood and husband, Richard; one brother, Jerry Woolford; two children, son, Alex Woolford, and wife, Summer and daughter, Crystal Buesgens, and husband, Jim; five grandchildren – Nathaniel, Daniel and Tori Woolford, and Keelie and Koy Buesgens.

A memorial service will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 24, in Bland-Hackleman Funeral Home. Final disposition was cremation under the direction of Bland-Hackleman Funeral Home.

Online condolences may be left on our website at www.blandhackleman.com.