William "Bill" Wade Ardery

William “Bill” Wade Ardery, age 66, passed peacefully in his sleep on Tuesday, February 6th at his home in Mesquite, TX. He was born in Pittsburgh, PA on November 16, 1957 to Robert and Betty Ardery. He was raised in Pittsburgh until leaving for the military after high school. He is survived by brother Bob, sister Barbara, daughters Aranda Johnson, Stephanie Ramirez and husband Reyes, Angela Rose and husband Bryan, Son William W Ardery II, and grandchildren Dylan, Logan, Caroline, Sylvia, and Mateo, and his significant other, Holly. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Hope and Roselyn, and brother Alex.

Growing up, Bill was involved in Search and Rescue as a teen and even had a Medical Examiners License so he could act as a first responder and treat those that needed it until additional help arrived. He was naturally mechanically inclined. He wanted to fly and work on planes. Bill joined the Air Force after high school and was stationed in Abilene, TX. However, by the time he enlisted, Bill was color blind and was not eligible to be a pilot or even a mechanic for his beloved planes. During his time in the military, he was a cook, ran the Officers Club, and was also an MP.

A jack of all trades, Bill was trained in around 30 different trades, including truck driving, masonry work, roofing, construction, electric, plumbing, welding, mechanic, pools. He ran his own pool company for the last 30 years. It was amusing that many of his trades required detailed work with colors, considering that he couldn’t see reds and blues because of being color blind. He had a strong work ethic that drove him to be extremely knowledgeable and the best at what he does.

He loved hanging out with friends and family on the patio or the pool, motorcycle rides in the country, fishing, ATV, glamping, grilling, plants and gardening, good music, and Jack Daniels. One of his biggest regrets in life was not knowing his three oldest daughters. He was able to develop relationships with two of them as adults. Meeting his second youngest daughter and her family last year brought him great joy. His love for his grandkids was obvious every time he saw them. The family fondly remembers numerous annual gatherings and celebrations at his house, icing fights on birthdays, joking, laughing, and mischievously pranking each other.

He often came across as a hard and difficult man. He had high standards. But when you got to know him, he was a sweetheart and very giving, often quietly helping family, friends, and fellow bikers. He will be greatly missed but will live on in each of us.

Let’s ride!

A visitation for William will be held Friday, February 16, 2024 from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Anderson-Clayton-Gonzalez Funeral Home, 1111 Military Pkwy, Mesquite, Texas 75149.