Obituary of William Bower Waggoner

William Bower "Bill" Waggoner Funeral Services for William Bower Waggoner of Elsberry, MO, will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, January 2, 2010 at Carter-Ricks Funeral Home in Elsberry. Rev. Conrad Cheatham, pastor of Mt. Zion Presbyterian Church, will officiate with burial in Elsberry City Cemetery near Elsberry. Serving as pallbearers will be Philip Waggoner, Kevin Hailey, Brent "Doc" Wilson, Mike Parker, Bob Kindred and Steven Sharpe; honorary pallbearers will be Randall Tolbert, Charlie Waggoner, Bill DeGerlia, Alan Turner, Jim Ross, Brad Waggoner, Jeff Waggoner, and Bernard Bange. Mr. Waggoner, 82, passed away Wednesday morning, December 30, 2009 at the Elsberry Health Care Center near Elsberry. Born October 25, 1927 in Foley, MO he was the son of Bower Douglas and Sue Alice McHugh Waggoner. A lifelong resident of eastern Lincoln County, he attended Elsberry High School. A veteran of World War II, he served his country in the U.S. Army from January 7, 1946 until being honorably discharged in December 29, 1947. He was united in marriage on October 29, 1949 in Troy, MO to Edna Ann Houston. This union was blessed with two children; William Douglas and Deborah Sue. He was employed as a mail carrier by the Elsberry Post Office in July, 1950, and served as Postmaster from 1961 until he retired in 1982. He served his community as Mayor of Elsberry from 1976 to 1988, and again from 1990 to 2000. Many improvements were made to the Elsberry community and eastern Lincoln County during his tenure as Mayor. He was a member Elsberry Baptist Church. He was also a member of the American Legion Post #226 in Elsberry, The MASTERS (Missouri Association of State Troopers Emergency Relief Society), and the National Association of Postmasters. Mr. Waggoner became a volunteer firefighter for the Elsberry City and Rural Volunteer Fire Department when he returned from his military service in 1947, serving as Assistant Chief for over 20 years. He was a member of the Fire Fighters Association of Missouri. Mr. Waggoner was a member and past president of the Lincoln County Industrial Development Authority; was a member of the Boonslick Planning Commission; and a long-time member of the Elsberry Chamber of Commerce. He was a charter member of the Elsberry Lion's Club. He was preceded in death by his parents, Bower and Sue Waggoner; and three brothers: John Waggoner, Glenn Waggoner and Robert Gene Waggoner. Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Eddie Ann Waggoner of Elsberry; one son, Doug Waggoner and his wife, Nancy, of Jefferson City, MO; one daughter, Debbie Waggoner of Columbia, MO; two grandchildren; Philip Waggoner and his wife, Anna, of Dahlonega, GA, and Sara Waggoner of Jefferson City; and one great-granddaughter, Alana Waggoner. He also leaves one sister, Marjorie Bowers of Littleton, CO; several in-laws, cousins, nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends. Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Friday, January 1, 2010 at Carter-Ricks Funeral Home in Elsberry. Memorials may be made to Mt. Zion Presbyterian Church or the Edna Ann Waggoner Scholarship Fund in care of Carter-Ricks Funeral Home, 107 South Fifth Street, Elsberry, MO 63343. Online condolences may be made at www.carterricksfuneralhome.com.