Bill Engle

Billie Gordon Engle was born January 20th 1931 in Eldon MO, the only child of James Gordon Engle and Charlottie Ellen Craig and only grandchild of Elda Jane Craig.  

Bill passed into Heaven Sunday, September 13 with family by his side after a short but valiant fight with COVID19. 

He spent his summers growing up in Colorado working ranches and highway construction. This led to Bill’s lifelong love of vacationing in Colorado with his family and reading Western novels. 

Bill was a 1949 Eldon High School graduate, where he was known for his bass solo voice and trombone skills.  In 1951 he enlisted with the US Marines.  He was deployed to Korea early 1953 where he was a Sergeant and a field radio operator/ instructor at the DMZ  for 15 months. He was awarded the Korean Service Medal with 2 Stars, the United Nations Medal, the National Defense Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation, and the Good Conduct Medal. In 2013 he was selected to participate in the Central Missouri Honor Flight.

 On leave after boot camp in May 1952,  he married Dorothy Ann Henley who he had met through the 1st Baptist Church youth group. During their 40 years together,  they had 3 children: Patricia, who was born during his deployment and he did not meet until 8 months old, Gwendolyn, and Arthur Gordon. 

He retired from Ameron  in Eldon after 23 years of service.

In 1993, after the passing of his wife Dorothy, he married Mary Jo Farmer Catron, gaining numerous children and grandchildren. 

Bill loved serving at church. He was a faithful and active member of Green Ridge Baptist Church for the past 10  years where he helped to improve sound, electrical, and drainage water. He also has many friends from his years as an active member at 1st Baptist Church of Eldon where he served as a deacon, bus driver, sound technician, XYZ Club chaperone and any other role he could fill. Over the years, he served as President of Friends of Music, sang with the Missouri Music Men, played trombone in the community orchestra, sang in the community choir, along with serving as interim music director at many country churches throughout Miller County. 

Spending time with his family and extended family were very important parts of his life and each child and grandchild brought him so much joy. He looked forward to visits and calls, Christmas time Santa deliveries, and romping on the floor with the young ones. 

He will be remembered as a faithful Christian, a loving son, husband, father, uncle, grandfather, and great-grandfather,  a teller of stories, a traveler, a musician, a photographer, and a man whose sense of humor and service to others stayed with him to the end. 

48 hours before his passing, after a nurse assisted him,  he asked ‘What can I do for you?’  

After Tom and Gwen prayed for him a few short hours before his passing, he continued by praying a blessing for them.

He gave and loved until the last moment of his life. 

Surviving are his wife of 28 years Mary Jo of Eldon; 

Bill’s three children:

 Patricia Ann Martin (Bill) of Hot Springs, SD  and their daughters 

Stacey Martin
Tracey Martin Lazzell (Ryan);  

Gwendolyn Plauche (Tom ) of Signal Mountain, TN and their children

 Ryan Plauche 
Jessica Plauche Winniford (David) + Gloria Mae 
Aaron Plauche (Michelle)
Jeremiah Plauche
Benjamin Plauche

Arthur Gordon (Karen) of Eldon 

Adam Engle
Karen’s Children: Kimberly Hill (Nathan) + Charlotte; Kyle Vernon (Trisha) + Tyler, Chloe, Kylee, Carley, Jacob, Clark; Kate Ochs (Kevin) + Maddie, Lexie; Kenny Vernon (Kat) + Owen, Josh, Aubrey, Sophie, Kinley, Kaydance, Kenneth Jr.

Mary Jo’s children and grandchildren: Debbie Jo  Walker (Mike) of Bettendorf  IA + Daniel (Madelyn) Schaummann and Ryan Schaummann; Elaine King of Kansas City, MO + Alex, Samantha King; George Catron (Lisa) of Silverdale, WA + Amanda Catron, Jennifer (Matt) Gilmore (daughter Austyn Gilmore); and William Catron (Angela) of Bremerton, WA + Andrew (Lydia) Catron, Melanie   
He also had several nieces, nephews, and step siblings. 

Friends are invited to join the graveside service with military honors, Friday, September 18, 11am, Dooley Cemetery, Eldon.In memory of Bill, masks will be required and regulated social distancing in place. 

 In lieu of flowers, donations are appreciated to the Bill Engle Memorial Fund, Green Ridge Baptist Church or to the Friends of Music Scholarship Fund. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Bill Engle, please visit our floral store.