Willis Mack Childress

Bill loved people and loved talking to them, he never met a stranger that he didn't immediately strike up a conversation with. He so enjoyed his morning coffee time at KK's Restaurant with his friends. Our family would like to thank Kim and her staff for loving and taking good care of our loved one each morning that he could go. Each of you touched him deeply. God Bless.

Bill is preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, all of his siblings, and his mother-in-law Vera Kelly. He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Kathryn, his sons Bill (Denise) and Bryan Childress; daughter Susan Pryor, Grand-children; Jennifer Nichols(Eddie); Jeffrey Childress; Megan Casselman (Danny); Sarah Davis (Clayton); Jonathan Burger and Katy Anderson (Mark), all of Bakersfield. He is also survived by 15 great-grandchildren, his father-in-law Kenneth Kelly in Florida, and numerous nieces and nephews in California and Texas. He is also survived by his four legged girls, Sissy and Sadie, who miss him so very much.

Bill attended Calvary Bible Church for 30 years before moving to Valley Baptist Church where he attended up until the time his health made it impossible to attend any longer.

Funeral Services are as follows: Tuesday, February 13, 2018. Viewing 10-12 a.m. at Basham Funeral Home, 3312 Niles Street, Bakersfield, 93306; Internment at the Bakersfield National Cemetery, 30338 East Bear Mountain Blvd, Arvin at 1:15 p.m.; Celebration of Life, Hodel's on Olive Drive 2:30 p.m. Liberty Hall.

A special Thank You to Treavor Williams PA and Dr. Denis Maddox for their incredible care of our loved one for many years. God Bless you both.

No flowers please. If you would like to, you can make a donation in his name to either, The Kern County Honor Flight, Kern County Wounded Hero's Fund, Valley Baptist Church for Missions or SPCA.

"To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord" Colossians 2:5

Willis M (Bill) Childress
4/25/33 - 2/5/18Our Heavenly Father called Bill home Monday, February 5. 2018, after a brief illness.Bill was born in Fairfield, TX to parents J.R. and Ruth Childress, one of 11 children in the family. He was an honest, simple and humble man who loved the Lord, His Country, and his family. His family moved from Texas to Bakersfield when he was 7 years old and he grew up at Hilltop. Bill lost his dad when he was 12 years old, tried to join the Army at 16 to help support his mother and younger siblings. He did succeed in joining the U.S. Army when he turned 17 and served 3 years as an MP.After returning home from the service Bill worked in several different jobs including Kelly's Market, Wayne's Dairy, Rainbow Bread, and owned the Sno-White Drive Inn on South Chester for a short period of time. He worked for Kern County Department of Transportation and retired in 1994 from the State of California Department of Transportation In his younger years, Bill was a member of the K.C. Mounted Sheriff's Posse and in the late eighties was a member of the K.C. Sheriff's Reserves, being the oldest member in history to complete the course and serve. Bill was proud to be a member of the Korean War Veterans Association. May 6-8, 2014 Bill was selected for the K.C. Honor Flight. He talked about his flight for months to anyone who would listen to him and was so honored to be chosen. Bill was an avid golfer for most of his life, loved fishing and loved sports, especially when his grandchildren or great grands were playing. He was their number one fan. Bill liked to travel, and over the years he & Kathryn took many cruises, spent a lot of time in their trailer at Morro Dunes in Morro Bay.

Bill loved people and loved talking to them, he never met a stranger that he didn't immediately strike up a conversation with. He so enjoyed his morning coffee time at KK's Restaurant with his friends. Our family would like to thank Kim and her staff for loving and taking good care of our loved one each morning that he could go. Each of you touched him deeply. God Bless.

Bill is preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, all of his siblings, and his mother-in-law Vera Kelly. He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Kathryn, his sons Bill (Denise) and Bryan Childress; daughter Susan Pryor, Grand-children; Jennifer Nichols(Eddie); Jeffrey Childress; Megan Casselman (Danny); Sarah Davis (Clayton); Jonathan Burger and Katy Anderson (Mark), all of Bakersfield. He is also survived by 15 great-grandchildren, his father-in-law Kenneth Kelly in Florida, and numerous nieces and nephews in California and Texas. He is also survived by his four legged girls, Sissy and Sadie, who miss him so very much.

Bill attended Calvary Bible Church for 30 years before moving to Valley Baptist Church where he attended up until the time his health made it impossible to attend any longer.

Funeral Services are as follows: Tuesday, February 13, 2018. Viewing 10-12 a.m. at Basham Funeral Home, 3312 Niles Street, Bakersfield, 93306; Internment at the Bakersfield National Cemetery, 30338 East Bear Mountain Blvd, Arvin at 1:15 p.m.; Celebration of Life, Hodel's on Olive Drive 2:30 p.m. Liberty Hall.

A special Thank You to Treavor Williams PA and Dr. Denis Maddox for their incredible care of our loved one for many years. God Bless you both.

No flowers please. If you would like to, you can make a donation in his name to either, The Kern County Honor Flight, Kern County Wounded Hero's Fund, Valley Baptist Church for Missions or SPCA.

"To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord" Colossians 2:5