William P. (Bill) England Sr.

William P. (Bill) England, 89, of Fort Smith passed away Thursday, August 27, 2015. He was born on January 6, 1926 in Little Rock, Arkansas to John A. and Lillian Alice (Babe) Robinson England. In 1927 their family moved to Fort Smith. Bill’s father was owner and manager of the Goldman Hotel where the family also resided. Bill went to school through the ninth grade in Fort Smith then he transferred to, and graduated from, New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, New Mexico. Bill joined the Navy in March 1944 and served in the Pacific Theater in WWII as a Sonar Technician 3rd Class (SOM3) aboard the USS Crosley APD-87 where he was awarded, among other medals, a Bronze Star. He was discharged in May 1946.

He moved back to Fort Smith and married his school sweetheart, Ann Whitlow, in June of 1946. After they were married Bill attended the University of Arkansas for a year and a half, where he was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity. They then moved to Denver, Colorado and he attended University of Denver, interned at The Brown Palace Hotel, and graduated in 1950 with a Business Degree majoring in hotel and restaurant management. After graduation, Bill received a Commission as 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army Reserve; he was Honorably Discharged after 3 years. Ann and Bill moved back to Fort Smith and he went to work for his father, John A. England, managing the Goldman Hotel. Bill also managed KFPW radio station located in the Goldman Hotel. His father passed away later that year and Bill continued managing the two businesses for the next 10 years. Bill later went into the restaurant businesses, owning and operating as many as seven restaurants and one bakery during the 1960’s in Fort Smith.

Bill began a career in drilling gas wells. First working for Stephens Production Company, Fort Smith, and in 1971 Bill was the second employee for the start-up Hanna Oil & Gas Company, where he worked as General Manager for the next 20 years. He retired in 1991 and became an oil and gas consultant for financial institutions. He also started England Gas Company. Bill was a Certified Petroleum Landman, and member of AAPL.

Bill was predeceased in death by his wife, Ann Whitlow England; his parents, John A. and Lillian Alice (Babe) England; brother, John R. England; Grandson, William Earl Thomas Jasper (TJ) Cunningham.

He is survived by one son, William P. England, Jr and wife Alexa of Larado, TX, three daughters, Kathy O’Kelley and her husband Mike of Tulsa, JoAnn (Jodie) Bateman and her husband Kenny of Fort Smith and Laura Cunningham of Fort Smith; 11 Grandchildren, Ashley England, Jenae England Judge and her husband Beau, Chance England and their mother Diane England, step grandson Roman England; Brittney O’Kelley Keating and her husband Francis Anthony (Chip), Ryan O’Kelley and his wife Kierstin, Kaitlyn (Kati) O’Kelley Moore and her husband Zach, Kyle Bateman, Kristin Bateman, John Cunningham, Leslie Scott and her husband Matt; 9 great grandchildren and 11 nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be his Grandsons, Ryan O’Kelley, Kyle Bateman, John Cunningham and Chance England; Honorary Pallbearers will be Mike O’Kelley, Kenny Bateman, Tommy Cunningham, and his Granddaughters, Brittney O’Kelley Keating, Ashley England, Jenae England Judge, Kaitlyn (Kati) O’Kelley Moore and Kristin Bateman. Honorary Pallbearer in Spirit will be Grandson, T.J. Cunningham, who preceded him in death.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00am Wednesday September 2nd at Saint John’s Episcopal Church, 215 North 6th Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas, with Interment at the Fort Smith National Cemetery, 522 Garland, at 11:00am. The family will visit with friends from 5:00 to 7:00pm Tuesday, September 1st at Edwards Funeral Home Chapel. Services are under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to: University of Arkansas Fort Smith, 1114 N 52nd Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas 72904; Peachtree Hospice, 2910 Jenny Lind, Rd Ste 6, Fort Smith, Arkansas 72901; Fort Smith Museum of History, 320 Rogers Ave. Fort Smith, Arkansas 72901; St. John’s Episcopal Church, 215 N 6th Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas 72901.

To sign an online guestbook, visit www.edwardsfuneralhome.com.