Korean War
Bill Alexander joined the US Marine Corps during the Korean War and his service is memorialized at the Lt. Charles Garrison
Veterans Memorial in Section A, Line 6.
Billy “Bill” Eugene Alexander, of Appleton City, MO passed away May 21, 2015 at Ellett Memorial Hospital. He was 87 years old.
Bill was born January 25, 1928 in St. Clair County the first child of Eugene C. “EC” and Teressa L. (Parks) Alexander. He spent his early years in various rural schools in St. Clair and Bates Counties and graduated from Rockville High School in 1945. After high school, Bill worked in Kansas during the wheat harvests. He then moved to South Dakota in 1948 in order to work at his great uncle’s (Bob Parks) ranch in Ralph, SD. While there, he met and married Wanda J. Walker in December of 1951 in Buffalo, South Dakota.
Bill was inducted into the Marine Corps in 1952 and stationed at Camp Pendleton in San Diego, California. He remained in the Reserves after his term of service in 1954 and was honorably discharged in 1960.
After his military service, Bill and Wanda returned to his great uncle’s ranch and began a family. While in South Dakota between 1954 and 1960, they had two daughters. In 1960, they returned to Missouri (Cass County) to farm and had a third daughter and one son. In 1964, Bill and his family moved to a farm just southwest of Rockville. For many years, Bill sold MoorMan’s feed, raised crops, cattle, and hogs. After he retired, Bill lived in Rockville and Appleton City and continued to work by helping relatives and friends. He put up hay, worked cattle; and drove a milk truck. He had a great sense of humor and could tell stories for hours. He would never let you leave without telling some kind of joke in order to make you smile. Bill loved spending time with family and friends and everything about the country life. Bill was also an avid guitar player and entertained many over the years with his country music.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers: Bob and Clarence “Sam” Alexander; and two sisters: Betty Gairrett and Bonny Sweet. Bill is survived by 3 daughters: Gayle Hayes of Butler, MO, Nancy Conard (Tim) of Holden, MO, and Sandra Cline (Gayle) of Carthage, MO, 1 son: Guy Alexander of Waterloo, IA; his close friend: Phyllis Snodgrass of Appleton City; 3 sisters: Wilma Atkinson and Mary Ann Elliott, both of Archie, MO, Etta Sue Arndt of Adrian, MO; 3 grandchildren: Sean O’Farrell, Megan Eye, and Jake Eye; and 3 great grandchildren: Alexis O’Farrell, Kaylee O’Farrell, and Addilyn Eye.