Charley William "Bill" Rader

Our beloved father, Charley "Bill" William Rader, went "home" on May 11, 2025, to be with his loving wife. He passed away at the age of 77, just the way he wanted to-surrounded by his children and grandchildren.
Bill was born on October 16, 1947, in Fort Scott, Kansas, and moved to Buffalo, Oklahoma, as a young child. Growing up, he helped his family with the wheat harvest, traveling from Texas to the Dakotas. After high school, he joined the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam. Following his honorable discharge, he moved to Denver, Colorado, where his cousin Linda introduced him to the love of his life, Charlene (Rogers) Rader. They married on September 2, 1972, and eventually settled in Buffalo, Oklahoma, before moving to Midland, Texas, where they raised their children. After retiring from trucking, they made their home in May, Texas.
Bill was a devoted and loving husband to Charlene, and a proud, dedicated father to his children, Dennis Rader and Jenifer Sorley. He never met a stranger and was known for his quick wit and smart-aleck sense of humor. He loved his family fiercely-and if you didn't know him well, you might be confused about which grandchild he was talking about, since he had a unique nickname for each one of them.
He is survived by his children, Dennis (Amy) Rader and Jenifer (Darren) Sorley; grandchildren Meagan (Matthew) Villanueva, Braden (Destiny) Rader, Garrett (Ashlen) Turner, Kaylin Rader, and Ayden Sorley; and great-grandchildren Kynlee Villanueva, Everett Rader, Kameron Villanueva, and Kyler Villanueva. He also leaves behind numerous nieces and nephews who loved him dearly.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Charley Orval Rader and Theora Marie (Ramsey) Rader, and his siblings Clara Reimann, Charlene Downs, Mae (Elvit) Fredrick, Robert "Bob" Rader, Betty Vaughn (Rader), and Minnie Rader.
A memorial service will be held on June 13, 2025, at 10:00 AM at American Heritage Cemetery & Funeral Home, 4100 N FM 1788, Midland, TX 79707. Burial will follow at 3:00 PM at the Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Abilene, 7457 W Lake Rd, Abilene, TX 79601.
Rest in peace, Dad. You will forever be in our hearts and memories.