William Herndon

William David Herndon

William David Herndon was born on June 27, 1951, in Clovis, New Mexico, to his father, Royce Herndon and mother, Loyce Herndon. He passed from this life on February 25, 2023, in Roswell. His family called him “Bill.”  Bill leaves behind a brother, Robert (Randy) Herndon, of Aurora Colorado, and a sister, Cynthia Herndon, of Raton New Mexico.

William was proud that he had served his country in the United States Army from 1972 to 1977, including a tour in South Korea.  Following his military service, he lived in Roswell for decades. He spent 22 years helping to build busses with TMC and Nova Bus.

During his Roswell years, William was a member of First United Methodist Church.  His church family knew him as “Will.”  He was a member of the Searchers Sunday school class.  Always a servant, Will was known as the guy who set up Fellowship Hall for our Wednesday evening meals.  He was a trusted friend who sometimes cared for member’s homes when they were out of town.

Will was a history buff who loved to read.  One area of special interest was military campaigns. You might ask Will a question about WW II, the American Civil War, or ancient Roman or Greek battles, and Will could name the generals, dates, and model designations of the tanks, ships, or planes used by different forces.  He loved to collect and build models of any military vehicle or action.

But Will was also into classic movies.  Mention a classic movie from the 1920s to the 1990s, and he would often name the stars and the other movies they had played in.  His collection of recorded movies was extensive.

Life was not easy for Will Herndon, but he was always grateful to his “Maker” for what he had, for his family of origin, and for his friends.  We rejoice that Will no longer suffers, as he now spends time with his Maker.  A memorial service will be held at First United Methodist Church, 200 North Pennsylvania Ave. in Roswell, on Tuesday, March 14, at 1:00 pm.

Ballard Funeral Home is handling Will’s cremation, per his wishes.  His cremains will be buried in a family plot in Cimarron, NM. We want to thank the loving people at Mission Arch Care Center, where Will spent his last two years, and the staff of Gentiva Hospice.