Bill was born in Geneva, Illinois on April 18, 1947. His brother, Tom, was born on May 21, 1948, also in Geneva, Illinois. Their father was Leonard Anderson, and their mother was Frances Anderson.

Their parents met during World War II in England where they were both stationed as part of the US Army. They were married in Paris, France in June 1945. After discharge from the Army, they resided in Batavia, Illinois, where Bill’s father had been born and raised. In 1950 the family moved to Edna, Texas.

Bill’s father’s family was of Swedish descent, and his grandmother had come from Sweden to America when she was 15 years old. Bill’s mother was raised in Texas, and her family were early descendants of early settlers in Texas who had arrived in the 1820’s.

His father was a letter carrier for the Edna Post OŒice, and his mother was an elementary school teacher in the Edna public schools. In 1961 a sister, Emily Anderson, was born in Ganado, Texas.

Bill was raised in Edna and went through the Edna schools from grades one through twelve. He graduated from Edna High School in 1965. He was active in sports, playing baseball, football and basketball. He attended Wharton County Junior College and later Southwest Texas University (now Texas State University).

He joined the US Army in 1969 and served for three years, including a year in Viet Nam. Bill worked for many years as a plumb- er in Wharton, Texas and owned his own plumbing business. He was married to Carolyn Hooper, who proceeded him in death. Bill had many friends from Wharton, Edna and nearby towns.

He was baptized as an infant at the Bethany Lutheran Church in Batavia, Illinois, and he was also baptized in his youth at First Baptist Church in Edna, Texas.

Bill is survived by a brother, Tom Anderson of Poetry, Texas, and a sister, Emily Anderson of Nashville, Tennessee.

Graveside services will be on November 7, 2026, at 1:00 PM at Memory Gardens Cemetery in Edna, Texas. Funeral Services are under the direction of Wharton Funeral Home.