William Randolph Wimberly Jr., known as Will or Bill, was born February 4, 1951, in Yoakum, Texas. He lived a traditional childhood, working on the farm, raising animals, driving his two older sisters crazy, and learning all he could from his mom and dad. He graduated from Yoakum High School in 1969, was married two years later, then quickly began building his career and family.

In 1983 he started Wimberly Repair Service, where he served as an appliance repair serviceman. Some would say he was a jack of all trades. If you had something broken, Will was there to fix it, and you usually could pay for it in homemade pickles or jelly!

He was a devoted husband and father to his children and later, his grandchildren. He was known for showing up an hour early to birthdays, sporting events, or special recognitions to help where he could. He loved being a dad and especially loved being a grandpa, and gosh was he a good one! He always had a story to share, a lesson to teach, and a really good hug to give. We miss those the most!

In his off time, he enjoyed the theatre, fishing, tending to his farm, and volunteering anywhere he could. One of his favorite things to do was cook, whether breakfast at the county stock show, concessions on Friday night football games through his 20+ years of work with the Yoakum Band Boosters, or a meal for his family and friends. You could always find him barbecuing, grilling fajitas, frying fish, or having breakfast at any one of his favorite local places. His table was open to anyone who wanted to stop and visit. He loved food and friends, and he truly seemed to love providing for anyone and everyone.

Serving was in his blood, so it’s no surprise that Will dedicated almost 25 years of his adult life to his work at the Yoakum Fire Department and Volunteer Fire Department. He absolutely loved his purpose and service with the department. He took it very seriously. You couldn’t find him without his pager, and he was usually one of the first to run calls. The fire department served as an extended family for him, and he loved his time and service in the line of duty. He was honored as Volunteer Fireman of the Year, served as volunteer chief for several years, and has been honored several times posthumously for his unwavering service to others, his community, and to the uniform.

Will passed away on March 16, 2022, a few hours after responding to a code 3. He leaves behind his wife, Beverly; his five children, Tammy, Cindy, Susie, Billy, and Clay; three sons-in-law, one daughter-in-law, and 14 grandchildren.