William "Bill" Varnell

William "Bill" Oliver Varnell, age 89, went to be with the Lord in the mid-afternoon hours of May 11, 2014 at East Texas Medical Center in Quitman. He was born in Houston, Texas on August 5, 1924 to the late Clyde Lavelle and Mabel Marguerite Yerkes Varnell. Bill proudly served his country in the United States Navy during WWII. He retired from Rhom and Haas Chemical Company. Bill was a member Cypress Baptist Church.

Bill is survived by his wife, Dorothy Kammer Varnell; one son, Richard Varnell, and wife Peggy, of McKinney; daughters, Pam Shores, and husband Ron, of Centerville, TX, and Paula Gauthier, and husband Gordon, of Mineola; grandchildren, Jason Varnell and wife Laura, Holly Martin and husband Shane, Kerri Gauthier, Melissa Garza and husband Jose, and Kristin Gauthier; great-grandchildren, Nathan Varnell, Sarah Varnell, Mason Martin, and David Garza; and by a host of nieces, nephews, and other relatives and very special friends.

Funeral services for William "Bill" Varnell will be held at 2:00 P.M., Thursday, May 15, 2014 at Sam B. Harvey Funeral Home with visitation being held one hour prior to the service. Graveside services will be held at 2:00 P.M., Friday afternoon at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery in Houston where he will be buried beside his first wife, Naomi Darden Varnell, who preceded him in death on March 11, 1992.

Online condolences to the family can be made at www.samharveyfuneralhome.com.