William J. Whitehead, 81 of Warrensburg, Missouri passed away Tuesday, November 14, 2017 at the Warrensburg Veterans Home.

Bill was born August 2, 1936. It was a miserable hot summer that year, everybody moved beds and cots outside to sleep. He was the younger brother of Anna May Berry and the older brother to Charlene Patterson, Ruth Norton and Ruby Belle Simpson. He attended Farmers, Warrensburg and Shawnee Mount grade schools.

Bill lived and worked on Don Ferguson's farm and went to Warrensburg High School, sometimes. He already knew more than the teachers so he was done with school. At 17, he joined the U. S. Army and was a combat engineer. He took basic training at Ft. Leonard Wood then Fort Riley, Kansas. From there, he went to Ft. Dix, New Jersey, where he thought he would be shipped to Korea, but his unit was shipped to Ft. Knox, Kentucky where he met Nev Conley. Bill and Nev would go on leave to Garret, Kentucky where Nev's family lived. Bill met Nev's sister-in-law, Doralene Daniels and they began dating. He was discharged and returned to Warrensburg and he worked as a tree trimmer. He decided that just wasn't for him.

He enlisted in the United States Air Force and was stationed at Little Rock, AFB, Arkansas. All this time, he had a Kentucky girl on his mind so he called Doralene Daniels on the phone and asked her if she wanted to get married, she said "Yes." Bill drove to Kentucky and got married. He and Doralene were married 53 years. They had three children: Karen, Tammie and Greg. As a military family, they moved to a lot of places. He was stationed in Texas, Wyoming, Arizona and Germany, where his family lived with him. When he was stationed at Guam, Porto Rico, and Vietnam, his family remained in Kentucky. Bill retired from the Air Force in 1974 and he and his family moved to Raymond, Kansas, where he worked in the oil fields.

In 1975, Bill took a job at CMSU as an auto mechanic. He worked there for 20 years. After retiring, he could not sit still so he took a job as a bus driver for the Crest Ridge School District. He enjoyed working and stayed busy mowing his lawn and trimming trees. Bill loved playing cards, spending time with his family and entertaining his grandchildren. He had a good sense of humor and a quick temper, which he was kind enough to pass on to his children and grandchildren. You can see a piece of Bill in each of his children, their gift to talk to anyone, their humor and work ethic. You could always count on him for a helping hand.

He is survived by two daughters: Karen Simmons of Centerview, MO and Tammie Frantzen of Warrensburg, MO; son:  Greg Whitehead and wife, Jenny of Holden, MO; four granddaughters: Lacey Buchman, Samantha Simmons, Kelsey Whitehead and Kelley Whitehead; three grandsons: Brett Whitehead, Chad Whitehead and Kody Whitehead and eleven great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Doralene; his parents: Harry and Edna Summers; his father: William Whitehead; granddaughter: Angie Tate; son-in-law: John Simmons and sister: Ruth Norton.

Funeral Services will be 2:00 p.m. Sunday, November 19th at Williams Funeral Chapel in Warrensburg with 1st Sgt. Retired, Lawrence Adams officiating. Interment will follow at Sunset Hill Cemetery in Warrensburg with Military Graveside Honors provided by Whiteman Air Force Base Honor Guard. Pallbearers will be Ron Ferguson, Dave McCannon, Robbie Arnold, Donald Hamlin, John McCannon and Don Dougherty. Honorary Pallbearers will be Bobby Arnold, Pat Armstrong, Dale Detheridge, Tients Shippy, Kody Whitehead, Brett Whitehead, Chad Whitehead and Pake Buso.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.

Memorial Contributions are suggested to the Warrensburg Veterans Home.

Online condolences may be left at www.williamsfuneralchapel.net