My grandfather was the oldest child, and only son, of Elmer Thomas Everhart and Ila Minnie Phillips. He had three sisters, Anna Frances, Irene and Jessie. He and my grandmother, Florence LaVera Smith, married on December 31, 1940. My mother, their only child, was born in September 1942.
He served in the US Army during World War II, and was stationed in the Philippines for most of that time. He was awarded three Bronze Stars for his service.
After the war, the family settled in Indianapolis, Indiana. He worked as a mechanic for Ryder Trucking for 30 years, retiring in 1976. He and my grandmother moved to Cherokee Village, Arkansas later that year.
He passed away after a brief illness, on July 3, 1980. He was survived by his wife and daughter, son-in-law, four grandchildren, and his three sisters.
As a child, my grandfather was given the nickname "Bill" by his grandfather, who felt that Clarence was a terrible name for a little boy. No one knows why he didn't simply call him by his middle name of David. Whatever the reason, the nickname stuck and Grandpa was known as Bill from then on.
Grandpa was an avid fisherman, and could be found at the lake most days. He was active in his church, enjoyed bowling, and liked to travel. He also had a sense of humor that earned him a bit of a scolding from Grandma a time or two. A very prim and conservative lady, she didn't quite approve of him singing silly songs about "underwear" to the grandkids (especially at the dinner table), or taking his dentures out to make funny faces at us. Of course, aggravating her a bit was part of the fun for him! He awoke at the crack of dawn every day, and made sure that everyone else woke up too. Grandpa took great delight in waking the visiting grandchildren by banging pots and pans together as he made his morning coffee. He was even known to use the lids as cymbals on occasion. He would keep up the racket until every last one of us was out of bed, or until Grandma took the pans away from him! Grandpa was dearly loved, and is sadly missed by all.
He served in the US Army during World War II, and was stationed in the Philippines for most of that time. He was awarded three Bronze Stars for his service.
After the war, the family settled in Indianapolis, Indiana. He worked as a mechanic for Ryder Trucking for 30 years, retiring in 1976. He and my grandmother moved to Cherokee Village, Arkansas later that year.
He passed away after a brief illness, on July 3, 1980. He was survived by his wife and daughter, son-in-law, four grandchildren, and his three sisters.
As a child, my grandfather was given the nickname "Bill" by his grandfather, who felt that Clarence was a terrible name for a little boy. No one knows why he didn't simply call him by his middle name of David. Whatever the reason, the nickname stuck and Grandpa was known as Bill from then on.
Grandpa was an avid fisherman, and could be found at the lake most days. He was active in his church, enjoyed bowling, and liked to travel. He also had a sense of humor that earned him a bit of a scolding from Grandma a time or two. A very prim and conservative lady, she didn't quite approve of him singing silly songs about "underwear" to the grandkids (especially at the dinner table), or taking his dentures out to make funny faces at us. Of course, aggravating her a bit was part of the fun for him! He awoke at the crack of dawn every day, and made sure that everyone else woke up too. Grandpa took great delight in waking the visiting grandchildren by banging pots and pans together as he made his morning coffee. He was even known to use the lids as cymbals on occasion. He would keep up the racket until every last one of us was out of bed, or until Grandma took the pans away from him! Grandpa was dearly loved, and is sadly missed by all.
My grandfather was the oldest child, and only son, of Elmer Thomas Everhart and Ila Minnie Phillips. He had three sisters, Anna Frances, Irene and Jessie. He and my grandmother, Florence LaVera Smith, married on December 31, 1940. My mother, their only child, was born in September 1942.
He served in the US Army during World War II, and was stationed in the Philippines for most of that time. He was awarded three Bronze Stars for his service.
After the war, the family settled in Indianapolis, Indiana. He worked as a mechanic for Ryder Trucking for 30 years, retiring in 1976. He and my grandmother moved to Cherokee Village, Arkansas later that year.
He passed away after a brief illness, on July 3, 1980. He was survived by his wife and daughter, son-in-law, four grandchildren, and his three sisters.
As a child, my grandfather was given the nickname "Bill" by his grandfather, who felt that Clarence was a terrible name for a little boy. No one knows why he didn't simply call him by his middle name of David. Whatever the reason, the nickname stuck and Grandpa was known as Bill from then on.
Grandpa was an avid fisherman, and could be found at the lake most days. He was active in his church, enjoyed bowling, and liked to travel. He also had a sense of humor that earned him a bit of a scolding from Grandma a time or two. A very prim and conservative lady, she didn't quite approve of him singing silly songs about "underwear" to the grandkids (especially at the dinner table), or taking his dentures out to make funny faces at us. Of course, aggravating her a bit was part of the fun for him! He awoke at the crack of dawn every day, and made sure that everyone else woke up too. Grandpa took great delight in waking the visiting grandchildren by banging pots and pans together as he made his morning coffee. He was even known to use the lids as cymbals on occasion. He would keep up the racket until every last one of us was out of bed, or until Grandma took the pans away from him! Grandpa was dearly loved, and is sadly missed by all.
He served in the US Army during World War II, and was stationed in the Philippines for most of that time. He was awarded three Bronze Stars for his service.
After the war, the family settled in Indianapolis, Indiana. He worked as a mechanic for Ryder Trucking for 30 years, retiring in 1976. He and my grandmother moved to Cherokee Village, Arkansas later that year.
He passed away after a brief illness, on July 3, 1980. He was survived by his wife and daughter, son-in-law, four grandchildren, and his three sisters.
As a child, my grandfather was given the nickname "Bill" by his grandfather, who felt that Clarence was a terrible name for a little boy. No one knows why he didn't simply call him by his middle name of David. Whatever the reason, the nickname stuck and Grandpa was known as Bill from then on.
Grandpa was an avid fisherman, and could be found at the lake most days. He was active in his church, enjoyed bowling, and liked to travel. He also had a sense of humor that earned him a bit of a scolding from Grandma a time or two. A very prim and conservative lady, she didn't quite approve of him singing silly songs about "underwear" to the grandkids (especially at the dinner table), or taking his dentures out to make funny faces at us. Of course, aggravating her a bit was part of the fun for him! He awoke at the crack of dawn every day, and made sure that everyone else woke up too. Grandpa took great delight in waking the visiting grandchildren by banging pots and pans together as he made his morning coffee. He was even known to use the lids as cymbals on occasion. He would keep up the racket until every last one of us was out of bed, or until Grandma took the pans away from him! Grandpa was dearly loved, and is sadly missed by all.
