Wilburn Herbert Varner

W.H. "Bill" Varner passed away July 11, 2020 at the age of 102. Bill was born in Palestine, Texas to Viola Tabitha and James Rubin Varner. Bill was the seventh son of eight boys and one sister. All of whom proceeded Bill in death.The last of Bill's family migrated to California in 1927. Bill's family endured the hardships of their times. They were all hard workers with a work ethic second to none.

They worked the fields, farmed, worked lumber mills, dairy farms, and also 6 boys became boxers along the way. Bill was schooled in Texas, then in Bakersfield, Santa Barbara, then back to Kern County Union High School, graduating class of 1935. (Once A Driller, Always a Driller) Was not allowed to box on BHS team due to his previous years experience but was an officer in the club and also served on the Student Council.

Upon graduation Bill worked various jobs contemplating boxing professionally as his brothers Pat and Claude had done, as Claude had won the Australian version of the Worlds Featherweight Championship. He decided to continue his education to become a history teacher, joining his brother John, at Santa Barbara State College.While attending SBSC, he worked and still boxed-he was asked if he would join the frosh cross country team as they were one man short. After he competed in only the conference championship-he finished 3rd enabling his team to win the Frosh Conference Championship. He used to laugh as he received an SBSC letterman sweater and a silver CC shoe awarded for his efforts!

Due to family hardships Bill moved back to Bakersfield in 1938 to help out. He worked for his brother Pats Sanitation Service. He then founded his own business in 1939, as he worked the Oildale/LaCresta area. He bought a house on Jenkins Road and moved his mom, dad, brother Skeet, nephew Jimmy, niece Vera, and later his older brother Claude, who had returned from Australia, in with him.

World War II - Bill enlisted in the Navy in Dec. 1941. While stateside he boxed on 2 Navy teams, winning a championship in Chicago for one team, later winning the Classic Army-Navy red cross event in Texas.

Bill met the love of his life in 1942, Marian Lindrum, who became Marian Varner for the next 57 years, until her passing in 1999.

Bill was trained as a aviation mechanic and also was a link trainer. He operated a flight simulator to train pilots to fly at night. Bill was shipped out in Feb. of 1944 from San Francisco. He had earlier given power of attorney to Claude to run his business. He was assigned to a photographic squadron, island jumping numerous times. He received commendations for meritorious service in the South Pacific combat zone. Bill was Honorably discharged in Sept. 1945.

Returning to Bakersfield with his bride, Bill picked up where he left off. His brother Skeet, also married, was soon discharged and then joined Bill along with Claude to continue the business under the Independent Sanitation Name. In 1952, Bill asked his other brother John to join the business, as his restaurant venture in Santa Barbara had collapsed. At this point the name changed and became Varner Brothers, Inc.

Upon his retirement in 1980, Bill spent time with Marian, who was suffering from heart disease. They spent many of their married years enjoying traveling and their children and grand children's sporting activities, such as track and field, swimming, basketball, baseball and of course wrestling. He traveled to many states as well as Denmark, Turkey, Holland, Mexico and London.

Bill is survived by his 3 Children, Billy (Sharon), Steve (Renee), Cookie (Marvin), and 12 grandchildren, 25 great grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren.

There will be a private graveside service due to COVID-19 restrictions. There will be an ice cream social Celebration of Life on Monday, August 10, 2020 from 5-7pm at The Crossover Church on 18210 Rosedale Hwy. All are invited to attend the Celebration of Life (Masks Please)

Special thanks to Kern River Transitional Care for caring for Dad as their own.

"If you see someone in need help them, the Lord is always there to help you" - Grandpa

...Eulogy for Wilburn "Bill" Varner...

July 14, 1917 - July 11, 2020

By Steve Varner

Welcome on behalf of Billy, Sharon, myself, Renee, Cookie and Marvin.

Dad always said, "If you've got something to do, you better get started or you'll never finish". Sounds like a Yogi Berra-ism.

How to encapsulate 103 years in a eulogy at 1 min per year, would take about 1 3/1 hours!

Over the course of years, nicknames..... son, brother, Bill, Billy, Billy Jack, W.H., Husband, Uncle, Grandpa, etc. but for us,

his name was Dad.

There are also many words to describe a loved one at this time.. greatest, best, caring, loving, etc.

Dad always said, "The Lord has been good to me, I have been blessed".

I think the word that describes Dad best is "Blessing".

In one way or another, directly, or indirectly, Dad has been a blessing to all of us here, and several not able to be here.

The decision Dad made in the course of his lifetime has culminated in us here to honor his memory.

Dad was a firm believer in that proverbial saying about the stone tossed into calm waters. He believed you should always try to do the right thing. Those decisions will produce positive ripples.

His decision to leave Santa Barbara State College was based on the needs of his folks and family at the time. He felt compelled to pit his needs, desires and ambitions aside. This duty to help family was highlighted at a young age for him, by his brother Claude. in 1929 his family lost their only sister... this devastated his mom... finances were tough...Dad recalled letters from Claude to his mom, from wherever he was boxing, containing money inside to help... sometimes only change. Dad said, "That was a trait I would always remember, and tried to do for family, without being asked, whenever I saw a need".

This led to Dads decision to take his brother Pats invite, to work temporarily for him in Bakersfield on Pats Sanitation routes. After acquiring the La Crests Oildale route and one truck for himself, the course of Varner Brothers was set.

Dad then bought a house on Jenkins Rd for his folks, Uncle Skeet, Nephew Jimmy, Niece Vera, Uncle Claude and himself. He was finally able to give his mom the garden she dearly missed in Texas.

This enabled Uncle Skeet to become the 4th Varner to become a Driller, (with 15-20 more Varner's to come), as he enrolled in BHS.

How tough was it in 1929- we can only imagine, but Dad's meticulous record keeping in his original budget book, shows it was still tough in 1941, 7 people in the house, the business grossed in April $297.00, profit $51.00!

The WWII, Dad felt his duty to enlist in Dec. 1941, inducted, Jan, '42 in the Navy. This decision put him Chicago, where he met Mom... and here are the 3 of us. This marriage gave us a multitude of cousins on both sides of the family alone with 12 grandchildren, 28 great grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren for Dad.

Upon his discharge after the war, Dad returned with his bride Marian, as did Uncle Skeet with his bride Esther to pick up where they left off. This allowed Uncle Claude to go to Australia to get his bride, Marge, and return.

In 1952, Dad invited brother John to join the business. This was to complete Varner Bros.

Dad was a voracious reader and had a vocabulary like a dictionary. Crossword puzzles were a snap-he used words I'd never heard before. He had another vocabulary and we all knew exactly what those words meant, especially if they were directed at us for messing up. Obviously Cookie was goody 2 shoes-Billy got the most of it-not because he screwed up the most, he just got caught more (right Billy)?

One more remembrance of Dad

He was a gentle, a real gentleman, God fearing, humble, soft spoken, all of that... but if you made him mad he would warn you of what he would do to you. He would emphasize each word with his big fat index finger poking a hold in your chest. I saw him do this to an oilfield work 1/2 his age. The young man made a wise decision and left with a bruised ego (and chest).

Dad was a survivor, being born at the end of WWI.

He survived hardships of the twenties and thirties.

Survived WWWII

Survived cancer

Loss of his wife, Marian, in 1999.

Survived a hip replacement at 100.

Survived a hip replacement at 102.

In closing, Dad was a man of God, of his word, and believed taking care of others before himself.

If Dad has a legacy, it would be his family, extended family and his example of doing the right thing that helps other. What one man, with one truck, can do setting positive ripples in motion for years to come, for the benefit of others.