Dates
William Joseph "Bill" Denton was born on July 2, 1931, in Watsonville, California, and died on Thursday, May 29, 2014, at his home in Georgetown, Texas. His parents were William Harrison Denton and Martha Velma Short Denton. Bill spent his childhood years in Merced and Brisbane, California, and graduated from Jefferson Union High School in Daly City, California. At age 18, Bill moved to Texas, the native state of his parents, to attend Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, as a religious education student. Bill's most memorable experiences at Hardin-Simmons were as vocal soloist of the school's Cowboy Band, with which he toured Europe with the USO in 1952, entertaining U.S. troops in several countries, including Iceland, France, Germany and Italy. Bill served as part-time minister of music to area churches during his college days and met his wife-to-be, Myra M. Farrington, at Lake View Baptist Church in San Angelo, Texas, where they were married on March 2, 1953. After his marriage, Bill attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. Bill served as minister of music and education with several Southern Baptist churches in Texas, including Grapevine, San Angelo, Brownfield, Snyder, Austin and in West Monroe, Louisiana. Following his church career, Bill worked in state government service as a placement counselor with the Texas Workforce Commission. Bill's outstanding public service received state-level recognition when he won an award for his compassionate work with ex-offenders in Project RIO (Re-Integration of Offenders). Bill's volunteer service revolved around his love of the church. In his later years, he and Myra served as members of the Mission Service Corps of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. He also served as three-term board member of the convention. Bill was a two-term board member of Baptist Retirement Community in San Angelo, where he served as volunteer music minister for several years. Bill was also a member of the San Angelo Mayor's Committee for Disabled People. Bill's beautiful baritone singing voice was well-loved by all who knew him and singing brought great joy to his entire life. He enjoyed directing and singing in school and church choirs, sang solos in performances of works such as Handel's Messiah and performed for several years with the Twin Mountain Tonesmen in San Angelo. During his last days, Bill frequently sang to his family the song on his heart, "Whatever It Takes." The only thing that will be missed more than his wonderful singing is his sweet smile, his always happy, positive and encouraging disposition toward all people he came into contact with, but especially with his family, who meant the world to him. Bill loved quoting his favorite scripture to family and friends ? 1 Cor. 2:9: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him." Bill is survived by his wife of 61 years, Myra Farrington Denton of Georgetown, Texas; daughter Diana "Lynn" Denton of Montreux, Switzerland; daughter and son-in-law Susan G. and Kris P. Dehnel of Cedar Park, Texas; grandson Daniel Austin Dehnel and his wife, Kira, of Lewisville, Texas; grandson Nathan Cole Dehnel of Waco, Texas; and younger brother Robert Lee Denton of Las Vegas, Nevada. He was preceded in death by his parents; his older brother, Henry Harrison Denton, who died in active duty in Italy during World War II; and his older sisters, Alvora Olson Wix of Modesto, California, Mary Sue Dean of Camas, Washington, and Marjorie Lou Guthrie of West Covina, California. Funeral service is planned at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 31, at Southland Baptist Church in San Angelo, Texas with Dr. Taylor Sandlin officiating and interment immediately following in Lawnhaven Memorial Gardens in San Angelo. Memorial gifts can be made to Medair, an international humanitarian organization (medair.org); Hill Country Christian School, Austin; Southland Baptist Church, San Angelo; or Crestview Baptist Church, Georg