William D. Souder

HURST -- William Daniel "Bill" "Daddy Bill" Souder, 92, passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family Wednesday, July 8, 2015.
Funeral: 1 p.m. Saturday, July 18, at North Pointe Baptist Church in Hurst. Interment: Bluebonnet Hills Memorial Park. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at North Pointe Baptist Church.
Memorials: Contributions can be made in his memory to SMP Global Missions Ministry, 8050 Precinct Line Road, Colleyville, Texas 76034; or any other charity of your choice.
Bill was born on July 23, 1922, in Hurst to Emma Robinson Souder and Richard Jefferson Souder. Bill was a great-grandson of William Letchworth Hurst, the founder of the city of Hurst.
Bill attended Hurst Elementary School through the ninth grade before transferring to Riverside High School in Fort Worth. He then attended Texas Wesleyan College (now Texas Wesleyan University), where he received the Guardian of the Golden Shears Award. Bill left Wesleyan for military service just five hours shy of graduation. He served with the 103rd Infantry, 7th Army Division, in France, Germany and Austria during World War II. He finished his degree in 1964.
Bill lived in Hurst for 92 years, having served the city in many capacities beginning with his appointment as the first postmaster of Hurst. During his 25-year tenure in that position, he was president of the Texas Postmasters and helped organize the National Association Postmasters Federal Credit Union. He also served as vice president of the credit union. Bill was the first fire chief of the Hurst Volunteer Fire Department. He was elected to the Hurst City Council in 1975 and served five years before being elected mayor of Hurst, a position he held for 24 years. Beginning in 1989, Bill was the district manager of former U.S. Congressman Pete Geren's district office in Fort Worth for seven years.
Bill was one of three men who established the HEB Community Hospital in 1967 and was chairman of the board when it became HEB Harris Hospital. He served the hospital board for 20 years. Mr. Souder served on a number of boards and business associations, including the Texas Wesleyan University Board of Visitors, Southwestern Baptist Seminary Advisory Board, Howard Payne University Board of Trustees, HEB Chamber of Commerce, Hurst Masonic Lodge, The Miss Texas Pageant Board and several bank boards. Bill, along with his cousin Roger Souder, founded Forest Hill State Bank. He was a member of the HEB Chamber of Commerce, Northeast Leadership Board and Rotary Club of HEB.
Bill was involved with his children's school activities while they attended schools in the HEB Independent School District. He was an assistant coach, coach and manager of Pee Wee football teams and Little League baseball teams. He was also a member and very involved in the booster clubs at Hurst Junior High School and L.D. Bell High School. He served two years as parade marshal for L.D. Bell's homecoming activities. Bill was inducted into the HEB Sports Hall of Fame in 2000.
Bill was an avid hunter with his son, Danny; grandson, Scott; son-in-law, Tom; cousin, Roger; close family member, James Paul; and other family members and friends. He loved white tail deer, turkey, quail, dove, elk and bear hunting. His game room was filled with his many trophies and hunting pictures with family and friends. Hunting adventures spent with family and friends were important and very special times for him.
Since the age of 13, Bill was a member of the original Baptist Church of Hurst continued his membership at the church after it became First Baptist Church, later becoming Hurst Baptist Church and thereafter North Pointe Baptist Church. He served as a deacon and a trustee for many years.
Bill was an extremely friendly person and always had the biggest smile and a handshake for people he knew and strangers he met. Bill loved God, his family, his friends, and was very proud of being a resident of and serving the city of Hurst. As he said over and over to anyone he met, "Hurst is #1." However, his greatest love and devotion was to his family. He loved his wife Dodie dearly and often told people "he found his thrill on Diamond Hill," the location where they met. He was devoted to his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and was the anchor of his family doing anything he could to make their lives better.
Survivors: Wife of 72 years, Dodie; son, Danny Souder and daughter-in-law, Karen; daughter, Dixie Marshall and son-in-law, Joe; daughter, Billye Fowler and son-in-law, Thomas; grandchildren, Shelley and Scott Souder, Casye Fowler, Tiffany Chambers and husband, Eric, Tyler Marshall, Alan Marshall and wife, Thu, Leisha Cadwallader and husband, Todd; and great-grandchildren, Ava Messer, Easton and Piper Marshall, and Taylor and Dylan Cadwallader.

Lucas Funeral Home
Hurst, 817-284-7271