Roll Call Tribute

Published in Star-Telegram on March 8, 2012

William "Bill" Sanner(1926 - 2012)
William Sanner Sr. went home to be with our Lord Jesus Christ on Sunday, March 4, 2012, surrounded by a large gathering of friends and family. Funeral: 2 p.m. Saturday at Riverside Baptist Church. Interment: Mount Olivet Cemetery. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Mount Olivet Funeral Home. Memorials: In lieu of flowers, the family request memorials be made to Loatian Baptist Church, 3101 Race St., Fort Worth, Texas 76111.

William was born Oct. 15, 1926, in Houston to Frances Ellen and Edwin Wilcox Sanner. As a United States Marine, he was a true American hero and veteran of World War II and the Korean War. Upon returning from Korea, he set his sights on and received an engineering degree from Texas A&M. Over a span of nine years he excelled in the aerospace field assisting in the design of the Titan missiles, the Saturn 5 rocket, and the C-5 Galaxy transport. William's final 30 years of his career was with the Army Corps of Engineers working with dams and bridges. He was involved with many foreign nationals, including Laotians, Hispanics and Burmese in teaching ESL and Bible, and was very involved in his church, Laotian Baptist Church. William was married to Minnie Belle for more than 61 years and was an inspiration to many.

Survivors: Wife, Minnie Belle Sanner; children, William Sanner Jr. and wife, Dee Ann, Cindy Hunt, Paul Douglas Sanner and wife, Becky, and Christina Smith and husband, Wesley; grandchildren, Amy Merritt and husband, Mark, Jessica Mundy and husband, Joshua, Buddy Bergman and wife, Mintra, Jacob Smith and wife, Amanda, Emily Burlison and husband, Shawn, Suzanne Reed and husband, Aaron, Sherri Halyard and husband, Cody, Sarabeth Ballard and husband, Chris, and Stephanie Smith and husband, Jon; seven great-grandchildren; brothers, Howard Sanner and George Sanner; and sister, Lougena Bowen.