W. Wooley Jr.

W.C. Bill Wooley left this world on Tuesday morning December 3 at age 89 after a valiant and brave fight with cancer. Even after his diagnosis and the inevitability of his death, he was an inspiration to those who knew him.

He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Fadine and by his two sons Mike and Scott, by his loving and adoring grand children Leah Dickerson, Lauren Wooley, Sara Ray, Christopher Wooley and Andrew Wooley, by his greatgrandchildren Grace, Luke, Sophie, Allison and Liam and by nieces Joyce Devilbus and Chrystie Wooley and nephew Rick Wooley and their children and many cousins and extended family. He was preceded in death by his sister Glen and his brothers Logan , who was killed in action at Salerno, Italy in 1943, Hubert Skeet Wooley and Sheb Wooley , his daughter in law, Cindy Wooley, and his nephew Billy Garland Wooley.

He was born at home,the youngest of four boys and one girl, on a small farm in western Oklahoma on April 18, 1924, to William Curtis and Ora Wooley. He grew up during the depression and the dust bowl days of the twenties and thirties and knew first hand the poverty and hard life of those years. He graduated from high school in May 1942, six months after Pearl Harbor and entered the United States Army where he served in the Pacific theater and was involved in the campaigns in New Guinea and the Phillipines and was on Okanawa when the war ended.

In 1946, he met the love of his life, Eva Fadine Mayer and they were married August 20, 1946 and celebrated their 67th anniversary this year. Bill was a man who loved life and loved people. He worked hard to support his family and was successful in different businesses before retiring to Ruidoso, New Mexico where he continued to serve others through the Lions Club, Christian Services, Hospice, Meals on Wheels and Gateway Church.

He continued to be very active physically and would help anyone in need. He played golf and was an avid skier who was skiing the blues and a few blacks this year. When he turned 70, Ski Apache gave him a free pass. When he turned 80, they started charging him again. He was a member of the OF ski club and they traveled to different ski areas in New Mexico, Colorado and Utah.

His greatest joy in life was his grand children to whom he was devoted. He took them fishing, camping, horseback riding, skiing, rafting and hiking and taught them the morals of life, not by lecturing them, but by example. He was a Christian who led by practicing his beliefs of charity, love and respect rather than preaching to others. His religion was to do good and to follow the spirit of the teachings of Jesus.

He was a patriot and a Roosevelt Democrat who loved his Republican friends and was very proud of his country and felt that Americans of all races and creeds deserved dignity and respect. He will be greatly missed.

The family expresses their graditude for the acts of kindness and love shown by his friends and fellow church members ,the Lions Club and all the people of Ruidoso.

In lieu of flowers, we request that donations be made to the New Mexico Christian Childrens Home in Portales or to the charity of your choice.

Services for Bill will be Saturday, December 28, at 10:00 AM at Gateway Church of Christ in Ruidoso.

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