William Larry Elder M.D.

Surrounded by his loving family and after a courageous fight with cancer, William Larry (“Bill”) Elder passed away on February 23, 2024, three days short of his 78th birthday. Born in Crane, Texas, in 1946, he was the younger son of Charles and Loyce Elder.

Bill and his older brother, Jim, enjoyed an idyllic West Texas childhood. Their loving parents taught them the value of hard work and the importance of family. Bill’s neighborhood friends were like brothers. They grew up playing together, exploring their town and attending church together. They remained close long after graduating from high school.

During his boyhood, Bill played Little League baseball and raised sheep for 4-H. At Crane High School, he was known as a witty leader who possessed an infectious sense of humor and immense athletic and academic talents.

A member of the National Honor Society, Bill served as vice president of his senior class. He was the proud quarterback and co-captain of the Crane Golden Cranes football team, whose purple-and-gold uniforms were a standout in their time. During his senior year, Bill led the team to the state quarterfinals, which was played at Jones Stadium in Lubbock. It was a memory Bill and his former teammates loved to relive for years after, and once more in his final hours.

After graduating from high school in 1964, Bill was thrilled to follow his older brother to The University of Texas at Austin, where he formed more lifelong friendships as a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. He earned a BA in history and then went on to fulfill his goal of becoming a doctor. He graduated from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston in 1972, and it was during his internship that same year at John Peter Smith Hospital in Ft. Worth that he met his beloved wife, Cindy. The two were set up on a blind date by close friends who still enjoy telling the story of Cindy and Bill’s instantaneous love. They were married in 1974 and moved to Dallas, where Bill practiced emergency medicine and they raised their two daughters, Allison and Lexie. For more than 40 years, Bill served countless people as Director of the emergency department at Doctors Hospital.

Bill was an amazing and devoted father and husband. He was adored by his daughters and wife. (He was also adored by the family’s Dalmatian, Dottie, whom he spoiled with a scoop of Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla ice cream each night.) Bill always gave his best to his family, his profession and his friends.

Never without a firm handshake and a warm smile, Bill had a charming personality and a humble spirit. He loved reading a good book on the beach, going on annual hunting weekends with friends, and watching the Texas Longhorns play football. In 2005 and 2006, he travelled to Pasadena to watch the Longhorns play in the Rose Bowl and National Championship. He described these two events as nothing short of “the thrill of a lifetime.” He cherished his weekly video calls with his Crane friends and Fiji fraternity brothers to his very last days.

In recent years, Bill and Cindy’s three grandchildren, Warren, and Tripp and Lou Lou, brought much joy to his life. Throughout his battle with cancer, Bill was the consummate example of courage. He endured three challenging years with grace and faith in hopes that his grandchildren would be old enough to really know and remember him. The family is grateful for the care provided by Dr. David Gerber and the team of medical professionals at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Bill leaves a legacy of family, faith, loyalty, integrity and humility. In his final hours, he once again told his family how much he loved them. He said that he was also thinking of his early days in Crane, epic times on the football field and love of God. Great memories of his beginnings provided him deep comfort in the end.

Bill is survived by his beloved wife of 50 years, Cindy; daughters, Allison (Cullen) Dickey and Lexie (Cullen) Aderhold; and grandchildren, Warren Dickey, and Tripp and Lou Lou Aderhold, all of Dallas; brother, James (Janet) Elder of Santa Fe, New Mexico; nephew, Austin (Ana) White of Little Elm, Texas; and nephew, Brett (Molly) Elder of Liberty Hill, Texas.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 7, 2024, at Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church (9800 Preston Road, Dallas, Texas 75230).

If so inclined, those wishing to make a donation in Bill’s memory may contribute to UT Southwestern Medical Center, engage.utsouthwestern.edu; the Gladney Center for Adoption, iamgladney.org; or a charity of their choice.