April 5, 1930 ~ February 16, 2021 (age 90)
Billy Dan Walton, born April 5, 1930 in Ranger, Texas, passed peacefully on February 16 in Stephenville, TX.
Bill was a graduate of Strawn High School where he met his future wife Anita Marie Poydock. Their marriage produced four sons, Bill (Patsy) of Clyde, TX, Gary (Gay Nell) of Colbert, OK, Ken (Roberta) of New Port Richey, FL and Mark of Fort Worth.
While he began his professional career with General Dynamics in Fort Worth, he was most proud of his experience at Texas Instruments in Dallas. While he held a variety of posts at TI, his greatest professional satisfaction came in the development of sophisticated radar systems which were later put into wide use by the military. At Texas Instruments, he reached the level of Branch Manager of Field Services and had more than 160 personnel spread across the world as they trained our service members to use the complex systems that TI had developed.
His next greatest joy was his early retirement in 1982 when he and Anita retired to Ranger to be cattle farmers. Anita passed in 1994 from ovarian cancer.
In 1995, Bill married Patsy Smith of Gordon, TX and they enjoyed retirement in Ranger with many summers spent in Cloud Croft, New Mexico.
He and Patsy retired from the cattle business and built a home in Stephenville, TX at Legends Country Club Golf Course where he could regularly enjoy his recreational passion. For many years he was either playing golf or tending to his beloved backyard vegetable garden where he chatted with the golfers as they passed the house. He and Patsy were avid dancers and attended many dances in communities all around Stephenville.
Bill is survived by his wife Patsy, his four sons, six grandchildren, and 11 great grandchildren. In addition, he survived by step children, Beverly Elkins of Lewisville, TX, Carrie (Gary) Wilson, of Lincoln, New Mexico, Charlie Elkins (deceased), 10 step grandchildren and 19 step great grandchildren.
Funeral services are being handled by Stephenville Funeral Home. Due to COVID restrictions, only Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21 at Cross Roads Cemetery in Ranger. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to CCS Hospice, 118 E. Live Oak, Ste. 104, Dublin, TX 76446. A Memorial Service is being planned for later in the Spring.
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