Services for William (Bill) Earl Bachus, Jr. age 71, will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Tuesday, January 3, 2011 at First Christian Church of Temple.
Mr. Bachus died peacefully at home on Friday, December 30, 2011, surrounded by his family.
Bill was born on September 25, 1940 in Temple, Texas to the late William Earl Bachus, Sr. and Mattie Elliott Bachus. He was a lifelong resident of Temple where he graduated from Temple High School in 1958. After high school, he attended Texas A&M and Sam Houston State University where he graduated in 1963 with a degree in Business Administration. He joined the United States Marine Corps in Aviation. He was stationed in Quantico, Virginia but was honorably discharged because of stomach ulcers. Bill then attended and graduated from Baylor Law School in 1970. Bill was a proud Aggie and proud Marine.
Bill worked for Santa Fe Railroad through college and Law School as a Brakeman/Switchman. He also worked as a Conductor, Yardmaster and Crew Foreman.
In May 1964, Bill met Sheron Rose Larson of Clifton, Texas. They married on December 28, 1964. Bill and Sheron had three children. In 1971, Bill went to work for Joe Carroll as his Assistant County Attorney. He worked for Joe until Joe was elected the District Attorney of Bell County; and Bill was elected to the position of County Court Attorney in 1973. In May 1975, Bill was appointed the first Judge of the newly created County Court-at-Law #2 of Bell County. He served in that position until January of 1979 when he was elected to the first Judge of the newly created 264th District Court and he served there until February of 1986.
Bill left public service to practice law with his friend Jack Tarver. Later they were joined by their other friend, Steve Blythe. They practiced law in Temple, Texas until May of 1994. At that time, Bill went back into public service as a visiting Judge for the State of Texas. He served in Houston, San Antonio and Dallas District and in several towns in the surrounding districts.
While practicing law, Bill served as fundraising coordinator for American Cancer Society, 2 terms as County Democratic Chairman, president of the Bell and Lampasas Bar Association. Bill had a 97% approval rating by the Dallas Bar Association which he was extremely proud.
Bill was a member of the First Christian Church of Temple, Texas his entire life. Bill was a believer in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.
Bill is survived by his beloved wife, Sheron Larson Bachus; daughter, Susan Bachus Austin and her husband John of Norman, OK; daughter Jennifer Bachus Anders and her husband Todd of Plano, TX; and a son William Jefferson Bachus and his wife Julianna of Plano, TX; his 4 grandchildren, Conor Elizabeth Austin 14, Carter Reed Austin 11, Logan Matthew Anders 4 and Audrey Grace Bachus 1. His sister, Mary Jo Robinson and husband Jim, and a host of cousins, nieces and nephews.
The Bachus family will receive guest for a time of visitation on Monday, January 2, 2011 from 5-7 PM in the Chapel of Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home of Temple. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, January 3, 2011 at 2:00 PM at the First Christian Church of Temple, with Rev. Tommy Popelka officiating. Burial will follow in Hillcrest Cemetery.
Condolences may be made by visiting www.crawfordbowerstemple.com
Arrangements under the direction of Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home, Temple, TX.
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