William Leonard Ponder, Sr.

God in his eternal wisdom and benevolence, gives us life and with that life assigns his angels to watch over us. Those assigned to William "Bill" Leonard Ponder, Sr. can now rest. After an extended illness, he passed away on January 12, 2021. He was born in Forsyth, Georgia on February 11, 1932 to Janette Ponder. After her marriage to Edgar Heath, his four siblings were born, James “Peter” Heath (Mary), Charles “Brother” Heath (Mary), Leila Carolyn “Sister” Heath (Howard Hill) and Richard “Danny” Heath (Becky).

He was an excellent student and outstanding athlete while growing up in rural, central Georgia. To this end, he was offered a partial scholarship to Morris Brown as well as having an opportunity to secure a professional baseball spot. However, he opted to join the Air Force because he wanted to help out his mother and his siblings. It was at a bachelorette service that he met Virginia Hardy, the woman he would be married to for 69 years. Together, they built a family and shared a military life, traveling throughout the world, including Asia.

Bill did well in his Air Force career, rising to the rank of Master Sergeant in a transitional time that was not always equitable for African Americans. He was a diligent student, taking many technical training courses, specializing in fighter jets tactical training. Many of these courses were taken at Air University which is a professional military educational system. He also had many temporary duty assignments, including stints across the world—London, Italy, and France. Of course, the toughest assignments he had were three tours in Vietnam during the height of the Vietnam War. He supervised the flight attendant staff, those responsible for overall jet maintenance.

After retiring from the Air Force, he became the Chief of Security for Camelback High School, a role he thoroughly enjoyed and held until he left the work force some 20 years later. But a sedentary life didn't suit him. He remained active becoming the Vice President of the Maricopa County Chapter of the NAACP and eventually the President of the Arizona State branch of the NAACP. His intelligence, gregarious nature and pleasing disposition served him well as he gladly engaged with everyone from neighbors and strangers to local politicians and governors of the state. He shared his smiles and conversation with everyone he encountered. He was also a 32-degree Mason and even acted in community theater. But his life was most enlightened by the lifelong friends that he made. Those friends sustained him throughout his life. They are literally spread all over the world. It was not unusual for his friends to get an early morning or late evening call from him “just to catch up”.

William and Virginia created a family of which he was very proudly devoted to his entire life. He could be very generous with everyone. They shared four children, William (Rebecca), Regina, Keith (Janet) and Manya. From them came his grandchildren, Joshua, Rory, William III, Meosha, Imani, Rachel, Isa Jordan and Jennifer. He was blessed with numerous great grandchildren. He also wanted to acknowledge some of the many cousins that helped shape his life. Edwin Taylor, George “Junie” Taylor, Norma Jean Taylor Williams, Raymond Taylor, Janice McCrary, Ursula Barnes, Margaret Lovejoy, Charles “Chuckie” Ponder. He also wanted to recognize his beloved in-laws within the Hardy family, Ruth, Susie, Stella and John, survived by his wife Lathonia. He wishes these children, grandchildren, cousins and in-laws and their extended families, both present and deceased, to know that their love and embrace made his life richer 100-fold. He will be greatly missed.

Family and friends are invited to a visitation being held on Wednesday, January 20, 2021 from 8-9:30 AM at West Resthaven Funeral Home, 6450 W Northern Ave, Glendale, AZ. Funeral services will be private. Bill will be laid to rest at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona.