William "Bud" Howard Hancock was born in Rienzi, Mississippi on May 15, 1940 to Thomas and Lillie Hancock. He passed away April 29, 2024 at Hospice of the Ozarks Hospice House in Mtn Home, AR. He was blessed with six sisters and he was the baby of the family.

He lived on a farm in Steele, Missouri doing day labor, driving a tractor and working in the fields. He also was a mechanic for 2 years. He then met the love of his life Ruth Ann Passmore. He decided to go to St. Louis to work at a factory job. He then came back to the boot hill of Missouri and on May 16, 1966 he married the love of his life Ruth. After staying in St. Louis for a short two weeks they moved to Gary, Indiana with his sister Virigina and her family.

Bud got a job in a small steel mill and worked for 5 years. The big steel mills were hiring so he moved on up. He started at Inland Steele as a laborer and worked his way to running an overhead crane where he remained for 30 years before retiring.

Bud and Ruth had two children Billy and Cindy, who blessed the family with six grandchildren.

Bud has always been a very kind and loving person. He has helped many people and touched lives including his nieces and nephews.

He retired on January 1, 2001 and moved to Pontiac, Missouri. He loved fishing, boating, building all kinds of items from wood; guitars, rocking chairs, wall plaques, vegetable bins and decorative toilet paper storage boxes.

Bud loved life and playing music. His legacy will live on forever!

He is survived by his wife Ruth Ann Hancock; son Billy Wayne Hancock; daughter Cindy Louise Cowles and husband Kurt Allen; 5 grandchildren Matthew Farner, Virginia Garrison, Thomas Hancock, Amanda Scanlan, Christina Seymour; several great grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents Thomas and Lillie Hancock; 6 sisters Lois Eaton, Joy Parvin, Opal Soloman, Virginia Eaton, John Morris, Ruth Wade; grandson Charles Crapps; and great grandson Devin William.

Funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, May 3, 2024 at Mammoth Assembly of God church south of Gainesville, MO. Officiating will be Ron Felker. Visitation will be Friday afternoon from 1 p.m. to service time at the church. Memorial contributions may be made to St Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-1942. Arrangements are under the direction of Clinkingbeard Funeral Home, Gainesville, MO 65655.