BILL LEON CLAUNCH OBITUARY

Reprinted With Permission

© Palmer Marler Funeral Home

BILL LEON CLAUNCH

1935 - 2015

Bill Leon Claunch, well known by many in Cushing area as “Mr.Bill” the greeter for Walmart, died July 5, 2015 in Oklahoma City. He was 79.

Bill was born on December 7, 1935 in Lincoln County, Oklahoma, the second child of Everett Louis and Norah Belle Thronesbery Claunch.

He was raised by his grandparents, George and Alice Thronesbery in rural Arkansas. As a young man he attended schools in Arkansas, Oklahoma City and Cushing, graduating from Cushing High School in 1955.

Shortly after graduation Bill married Janice Franklin in Cushing, Oklahoma, they were blessed with two daughters, Deborah and Angela. They later divorced and he married Marilyn Franks of Oklahoma City. Marilyn had two children, Dawn and Benjamin, whom he loved as if they were his own.

Bill received training as a draftsman and was employed by several Oklahoma City contractors to produce architectural drawings and land development plats. He later became a successful real estate agent involved in the expansion and development of Oklahoma City for over 3 decades.

Bill owned and operated Roundup Café and I-35 Grand Restaurant in Oklahoma City with his mother for many years. They also opened and operated Garfield’s Restaurant in Cushing in the 1980's. He was a talented graphic artist and developed a multitude of cartoon characters and character drawings, often displayed in his restaurants or printed on t-shirts by his screen painting business.

Bill wrote several short stories about growing up in Arkansas in the 1940s. His dream was to write and illustrate a series of children’s books.

For the last several years Bill served as a greeter at Wal-Mart in Cushing, known in the community as Mr. Bill. It was the perfect job for his people person personality, he loved giving high fives and stickers to the children and could call almost everybody in town by name. He suffered many illnesses the last few years but always fought through them so he could return to Wal-Mart and “his people”.

Bill looked forward to going to the Senior Citizen’s center every weekend for a night of music, dancing, food and seeing all his friends. He was an active member of the Cushing Class of 55.

Preceded in death by his father and mother, Everett Claunch and Norah Thornton, his sister Barbara Malernee and his uncle Don Thronesberry.

Survived by his daughters, Debbie Asher and her husband Tony of Oklahoma City; and Angie Claunch and her partner Michelle Spacek of Tecumseh, Oklahoma; his grandsons Robert and Aaron Asher; stepdaughter Dawn Christie; stepson Benjamin Franks; and stepgranddaughter Destiny.

Services will be at 11:00 on Friday July 10, 2015 at the Cushing Christian Church in Cushing, Oklahoma. Reverend Bill Allton will officiate.

Interment will follow at Carney Cemetery, Carney, Oklahoma.

Arrangements are entrusted to Palmer Marler Funeral Home, Cushing, Oklahoma.

Condolences and online guest book are available at www.palmermarlerfh.com.