WILLIAM DALE “BILL” SANDERS William Dale “Bill” Sanders, 76, of Gainesville, MO passed to heaven on April 29, 2012 at the Baxter Regional Medical Center in Mountain Home, AR. He was born on November 13, 1935 in Souder, MO, the son of Dale and Thelma (Graham) Sanders.

Bill attended school in the old Faye schoolhouse, south of Gainesville. At 16 years old he set out for Kansas City, MO to begin working. On July 24, 1954, Bill was united in marriage to Maxine Batesel in Kansas City, MO and to this union three daughters were born. Bill continued to work in Kansas City, but the couple moved back to Gainesville in 1962 to raise their family. For the next three decades, Bill would make the weekly trip from Gainesville to Kansas City and back. He retired from Sunshine Biscuits in 1988. For the next twenty plus years Bill continued his passion, working with horses. He has owned, trained, and managed countless numbers of horses through the years, and to the amazement of those around him, could tell you details about each horse. He was inducted into the Missouri Fox Trotter Hall of Fame in September of 2000.

On March 29, 2008, Bill married Regina (Denton) at his home south of Gainesville.

Bill is survived by his wife, Regina, of the home; two daughters, Linda Wooten and husband Gale of West Plains, MO and Leila Steele and husband Jason of Tontitown, AR; four grandchildren, Melisa Howard, Nathan Connelly, Seth Connelly and Breanna Creech; one great grandson, Mack Howard; one sister Joy Johnston of Caulfield, MO; two step children Scott Denton and wife Lori of Caulfield, MO and Penny Collins and husband Tim of Gainesville, MO; ten step grandchildren, Chris and Michael Wooten, Remington, Cameron and Bronson Steele, Gunner and Karson Collins, Cole, Chase and Kendall Denton ; and several nieces, nephews and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Dale and Thelma Sanders; his first wife, Maxine; one daughter, Carolyn June Sanders; and one sister, Phyllis Pauline Sanders.

Funeral services for Bill will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, May 4, 2012 at the Lilly Ridge General Baptist Church in Gainesville, MO with Mark Ragsdale, Marcus Ragsdale, Jimmy Kyle, and Gale Wooten officiating. Visitation will be Thursday evening, May 3rd from 5-7 p.m. at Clinkingbeard Funeral Home, Gainesville,MO. Burial will be in the Lilly Ridge Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be given to Lilly Ridge Cemetery or Gideons and be left at the funeral home. On line condolences may be made at www.clinkingbeardfuneralhome.com.