Bickham, William A. "Bill" 

Funeral services for William A. "Bill" Bickham, of Longview, Texas will be noon 
Monday, April 24, 2006, at Rader Funeral Home Chapel with Dr. Laney Johnson and 
the Rev. Dale Perkins officiating. Interment will be in Lakeview Memorial Gardens. 
Mr. Bickham died on Friday, April 21, at Good Shepherd Medical Center after a 
lengthy illness. Visitation will be 6-8 p.m. today, April 23, at the funeral home. 
Born on June 3, 1931, in Shreveport, Louisiana, the youngest son of James F. Sr. 
and Ollie Bickham, Bill attended schools in East Texas before moving with his 
family to West Texas. He was a member of the 1947 state championship Levelland 
football team and graduated from Benevides High School in 1948. He was drafted 
into the U.S. Marine Corps in 1952, proudly serving his country for two years. He 
was employed by Eastman Kodak for 36 years, retiring in 1990. Following his 
retirement, he served on the South High Beautification Project and helped organize 
and served with the Citizens On Patrol program. He was a member of Mobberly Baptist 
Church. Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 53 years, JoAnn Ward Bickham; 
one daughter, Valerie Allen and husband, Ron, of Longview; two sons, Kent Bickham 
of Houston and Kyle Bickham of Longview; five grandchildren, Shane Allen, U.S. 
Army, stationed in Fort Carson, Colorado, Whitney Allen of Denton, Deidra Allen of 
Gainesville, and Alex and Madison Bickham of Longview; one brother, Al Bickham, of 
New Braunfels; one brother-in-law, Robert Ward and wife, Mary Ann, of Henderson; 
niece, Paula Bickham, and nephew, Bob Bickham, of New Braunfels; and a host of 
relatives and friends. A memorial guestbook may be signed online at www.raderfh.com.

Published in the Longview News-Journal on 4/23/2006.