William H. Yowell

at Texas A&M, his stint in the U.S. Army, a law degree from Baylor University, a new wife, a new car with a $2,000 note and a

lot of enthusiasm.

Since then, he has usually been involved in every community effort to make something good and positive happen in Killeen

and Central Texas.

Bill was born March 13, 1928 in Waco, Texas, and raised in the rural community of Elk, Texas, just east of Bellmead. He

attended a two room schoolhouse in Elk until high school. Bill graduated from LaVega High School in Bellmead in 1945.

Yowell attended two of Texas' flagship institutions- in this case, Texas A&M University (1945/46) and Baylor University. Bill

left Texas A&M for military service and served in the U.S. Army from 1946-48. He then returned home and graduated from

Baylor University Law School with a Jurist Doctor Degree in 1951.

Bill married lifelong neighbor and classmate Jonnie Lou Smajstrla on May 6, 1951. He is survived by his wife Jonnie Lou,

daughters Debbie Yowell Farley & husband Bill of Killeen and Sherrie Yowell Anderson of Austin, grandson Matthew Yowell

& wife Sarah of Killeen, and great-granddaugters Addison & Aubree Yowell.

Yowell was preceeded in death by his father, Walter Harper Yowell, mother Annie Lucille Moore Yowell, brother Orville

Patrick "Pat" Yowell, and infant brother, Alton Yowell.

As a young Killeen businessman, Bill was immediately drafted into community service that included city councilman

(1956-58), Commander of VFW Post 9192, founding president of Central Texas Homebuilders Association (1961), president of

the Greater Killeen Chamber of Commerce (1973), and as the president of the Killeen Riding and Roping Club, he was

instrumental in building the present Killeen Rodeo Arena.

He also served as member and treasurer of the Board of Regents of the University of Central Texas. He served on the Central

Texas University Task Force, the group which was instrumental in attracting a state university to the area, and served as

president of the Killeen/Fort Hood Area Former Student Association of Texas A&M University.

A lifetime member of the State Bar of Texas, he served as a director and as chairman of the legislative committee of the

Lumberman's Association of Texas. While Yowell never officially practiced law, his experience in legal matters was often

sought out and highly valued.

Bill was one of the Bell County civic leaders who worked to gain county approval to build the Expo Center. He served as

president of the Bell County Exposition Center board of directors (1994-2005) and the board room at the Expo Center was

dedicated to Bill upon his retirement from the board in 2006. Just last week, Bill participated in the groundbreaking for the new

Equestrian Facility.

He was president of the Bell County Water Control and Improvement District #1 (1975-2006) and a director of both the Central

Texas Housing Finance Committee and the Bell County Housing Finance Committee.

Bill operated Gross-Yowell Lumber Co., the family building materials business, in Killeen from 1951 to 1979, at which time

the business was acquired by WalkerKurth Lumber Co. of Houston, a subsidiary of Santa Fe Industries. He continued to

operate the Killeen location and served as Vice-President, Texas Division, of Walker-Kurth Lumber Co. from 1979 to 1986.

Since 1986, he has been involved in banking, real estate and ranching.

Yowell's first involvement in banking was serving as a director of the First National Bank of Killeen and Citizens National

Bank. He acquired the Heights State Bank in 1991 and served as chairman of the board of directors until its sale in 2003.

Bill has spent a lifetime in ranching, specifically concentrating on purebred Polled Herefords since 1968. He has raised

registered Polled Hereford cattle on Yowell Ranch, south of Killeen , since 1972 . In his role as rancher, he served as president

of the Texas Polled Hereford Association, a director of the National Cattleman's Association and was elected chairman of the

board of the American Polled Hereford Association (1986-1990). He received the Man of the Year in Agriculture award

presented by the Texas Extension Agents Association in 1991 and the Excellence in Grazing Management award from the

Texas Section of the Society for Range Management in 1992. Although he dispersed his herd in 2006, Bill continued to be a

friend to Polled Herefords and a familiar face at shows and sales.

Bill was one of the original founding families at St. Joseph Catholic Church, serving as President of the parish council for

many years. He was also chairman of the Fund Raising committee in 1959 which built the present church and chairman of the

Planning Committee which made major renovations to the church in 1984-88. In 2009, he was awarded the Lumen Gentium

service award by the Catholic Diocese of Austin. Most recently, Bill was a major benefactor for St. Joseph's new parish activity

center.

The Yowell family has made other major contributions to our community, including the conference room at the Boys Club

Trimmier Road and an exam room at the Greater Killeen Free Clinic. Bill also funded a birthing room at the Metroplex

Women's Clinic, as well as serving as honorary co-chair of the fundraising committee of that project.

He was honored with the Roy J. Smith Award in 1998, recognizing his leadership efforts, and the Exchange Club's Golden

Deeds award in 2011.

Widely known as "Mr. Bill", he is noted for his sense of humor and his talent at negotiation. He practiced win-win before it

was popular. His leadership abilities and advice are widely respected and solicited. A friend and encourager to everyone who

knows him, Bill is someone who is just as proud of a friend's accomplishments as his own.

If success is measured by whether you left the world a little better than you found it, then Bill Yowell is most certainly a

successful man who has contributed time, talent, and treasure to the success of our community.

Family would like to extend a special thanks to special care givers Cinderella McCombs & The Care Age Home Care.