Billy (Bill) Joe Henderson

Billy (Bill) Joe Henderson, 88, El Dorado Springs passed away Sunday, July 31, 2022. He was born Aug. 10, 1933.
Bill married the love of his life Ruth Charlene Henderson on Oct. 30, 1954 in El Dorado, KS. Unto this marriage four children were born, but their first child was a dog named Freckles.
Growing up Bill started working at the young age of 12. At the age of 15, Bill painted his first car ever. He used a paintbrush and paint that he went and purchased at Otasco on his own. Eventually he later ordered his very first paint gun. His first vehicle repair he did with a ball peen hammer and a board. Bill would also paint bicycles with an old fly sprayer.
He and his brother, Bob, were extremely close and if you saw one of them the other was there as well. Grandma Henderson always called them Mutt and Jeff.
Later, Bill and Charlene moved to Augusta, KS, where Bill worked at Beach, Boeing and Cessna at night painting airplanes. They then moved to Great Bend, KS, where Bill worked in the oil fields. During this time he had a farm where he raised pigs and cattle. Bill and his oldest daughter, Cheryl, would go out during the night when the pigs were birthing and help deliver. Bill’s second daughter, Kathy, was fearless and would run the tractor on the farm helping him out where needed.
Bill began doing Auto Body work in the 60’s when he opened his own business in El Dorado, KS. Bill wasn’t great at bookkeeping so he had Charlene take over that area of the business.
In 1976, they moved to the El Dorado Springs area out on CC Hwy. where they had a dairy farm. Bill worked at Castle Chevrolet before opening his own Auto Body shop in El Dorado Springs. Bill retired from Body work in El Dorado Springs in 2015.
Bill always did things his way from the time he was born. He was a cantankerous stinker from the get go. He never let his handicap keep him down, always working hard to provide for his family and making sure they wanted for nothing.
He loved candy, smoking cigars and pipes, fishing, gardening, his family and friends.
Bill is survived by his wife, Ruth Charlene Henderson, of the home; daughter, Cheryl (Jim) McAllister – Andover, KS; daughter, Kathy (Doug) Elliott – Sedalia; daughter, Lanita Henderson – Bolivar; son, Darryl (Neila) Henderson – Bolivar; brother, Pete (Betty) Henderson – El Dorado, KS; sister, Linda (Roy) Davis – El Dorado, KS; sister, Connie McClure – Augusta, KS; grandchildren: Jeremy, Jennifer, Shane, Tiffany, Amber, Clay and Aaron; 19 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Bill is preceded in death by his parents, Fred and Lula Mae Henderson; brother, Bob Henderson; sister, Nelda Jean; grandson, Jarod; great-grandson, Jacob and great-grandson, Taylor.
“We will always carry your memory in our hearts.” “Let not sorrow replace the love and memories of our beloved. Rejoice in the Kingdom of God that has unfolded and welcomed our beloved home.”
Graveside services were Friday, Aug. 5, in the Kirk Chapel Cemetery under the direction of Cantlon-Otterness & Viets Funeral Home, Buffalo.