William Henry Gosnell Jr.

BORN JULY 10TH 1930 Amarillo Texas / PASSED ARRIL 21ST 2016 Houston, Texas

At the age of 24, Bill met a beautiful young woman and knew the moment he met her she was the woman of his dreams Wilma McClenny and asked her to marry him a year later on May 14th 1955. They moved to Houston where the work was in the mid 1950’s and had two sons Hank (III) and Glenn. Bill and Wilma were happily married for almost 61 years.

As a high school graduate, in 1945, at the young age of 16, he followed in his fathers’ (Sr.) and grandfathers’ footsteps and worked 50 years as a metal lather (metal carpenter) and joined the metal lathers union. Bill was an honorary member of the Local Carpenters Union #551 for 68 years a rare and great honor. He served as a reserve member of the National Guard for 8 years.

Bill never ever met a stranger and would often have long conversations with people most would avoid, his opening statement to every large person he met was (WHO DID YOU PLAY FOR?). He always strived to have real meaningful conversations (never superficial) with every person he met, to dig deep learn about their life story and find out what made them tick, their personal essence. He loved life to an extreme, an intellectual, loved poetry, active in politics his whole life, avid fisherman, and had a most wonderful sense of humor. He was an avid backyard horticulturist / wine maker and would always spread the many fruits’ of his labor to family and friends. He and Wilma have numerous lifelong friends, and stayed in touch with, some of those friends were the complete strangers he touched. Bill loved taking pictures and has thousands of photographs of family and friends.

Bill Gosnell was a good man, generous, decent, rock solid husband, deeply caring father, grandfather and recently a great grandfather. He is survived by his wife Wilma; two sons, Hank and Glenn; granddaughter Shannon June Benjamin; great granddaughter Olivia June and many other family members. Bill Gosnell will be dearly missed as time rolls on.

Bill’s Memorial Service will be held at Advantage Howard-Glendale Funeral home on Federal Road in East Houston, Saturday, April 30th at 2PM. Please bring or email any photo’s you would like to share at the reception to [email protected].

Arrangements under the direction of Advantage Howard-Glendale Chapel, Houston, TX.