W.L. “Bill” Sibley

ODESSA — W.L. “Bill” Sibley went home to be with the Lord in the presence of his family and one very special nurse on February 25, 2004, at Medical Center Hospital. Funeral services will be held Saturday, February 28, 2004, at the Eisenhower Church of Christ at 2 p.m. in Odessa. Lynn Money will officiate. Eulogies will be delivered by Miguel Bustilloz and J.C. Nickens. A favorite poem will be read by James Michael Davidson and a prayer once lead by W.L. will be read by Jonn Morgan Sibley. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens.
W.L. was a Christian and a member of the Church of Christ which meets at the Sherwood Congregation in Odessa, Texas. He worshiped there faithfully for almost 40 years. One of his great joys was reading Scripture as the prelude to a sermon.
W.L. was born in the town of West, Texas, to William Leonard Sibley and Venice Myrtle Waters Sibley on October 3, 1936. His family moved to Odessa in 1944. He attended Odessa High School and joined the United States Navy in January 1955 where he became an aviation ordinance technician. He performed basic training at the Great Lakes Naval Base then attended aviation ordinance school training at Pensacola, Florida. He served at China Lake, California, and performed sea duty on the aircraft carrier USS Hornet; he was a Korean War Veteran. W.L. was honorably discharged in 1959 and subsequently attended Odessa College and Abilene Christian College. He graduated from ACC in 1962 with majors in English, speech, education and psychology. He later attended the University of Texas — El Paso and earned his Masters in school administration.
W.L. Sibley wed Patricia Ann Barber on August 28, 1960, in Odessa, Texas. Their first child, Jonn Morgan Sibley, was born in 1967, and their daughter, Laurie Paige (Sibley) Fulton, was born in 1971.
W.L. began teaching at Permian High School in 1962. He was a second generation ECISD employee. He began his career teaching speech, drama and debate, leading generations of students to state level competitions. He later taught vocational education, where he guided young people to make their way in the world. He served admirably as the halftime announcer for the Permian High School Marching Band, affectionately referred to over the years as “The Voice of Mojo.” By the 1970s, he was the official Master of Ceremonies at every Permian High School graduation commencement until his retirement from teaching in 1992. It was a great honor for him to be voted by his colleagues as the Teacher of the Year on two separate occasions.
W.L. lent his voice talent to the local airwaves in numerous capacities over the years. His first foray into radio was at KRKS in Ridgecrest, California, in the 1950s. Later he worked in various capacities at numerous Odessa stations, including KRIG, KOYL and KQIP. In the 1970s, he co-anchored a morning radio program with Don Ericson — “The Early Birds Show” on station KQIP, broadcasting high atop the old ABC Bank building. He also hosted a cable television interview show at Channel 10, interviewing visiting celebrities and actors performing in local theatrical productions, including James Drury, Bob Denver and Peter Breck.
W.L. had a wide variety of interests and pursued them with a wonderful vitality; his fondness for a certain cream yellow Volkswagen Beetle was well known. W.L. had a love of flying, and earned his pilot’s license flying a Piper J-3 Cub. He treasured his collection Bibles and biblical study guides.
W.L. served on the Board of Directors at the West Texas Educators Credit Union since the early 1970s.
W.L. was an accomplished actor and enjoyed performing at Odessa College, ACC, The Permian Playhouse and The Midland Community Theater. Some of his favorite performances were in the plays “J.B.” (a modern retelling of Job), “The Hollow,” “Little Foxes,” “Inherit the Wind” (where played Henry Drummond in two productions), “The Sound of Music,” “Life with Father,” “Brighton Beach Memoirs” and “Trip to Bountiful” among countless others.
After he retired from teaching, W.L. worked for the United States government at The Office of Personnel Management and H&R Block.
Most of all he enjoyed his family and friends. Many summers were spent on the road with a travel trailer in Colorado, New Mexico and Texas with Patricia, Jonn, Paige and many dear friends.
W.L. had an ineffable quality about him that was rare in life; he had a knack for making people instantly at ease. He loved what he did, and he loved who he did it for.
He is survived by his mother, Venice Waters Sibley; wife, Patricia Ann Sibley; daughter Laurie Paige (Sibley) Fulton and her husband, Tommy Fulton Jr.; son, Jonn Morgan Sibley and his wife, Deborah Ann Inman Sibley, and their sons Robert Brian Leonard Sibley and Kenneth Tate Irvin Sibley. His sister, Mary Kathrine Blackwell and her husband, Bill; a sister-in-law Opal Tolson. Niece, Kathy-Ann Bobbit and her husband, Roy, Elizabeth and Sandy Tolson, Jordana Hodges; nephews, Steve York, William Hodges, Sam Tolson. Uncle, Claude Waters; cousins, Clyde Waters and wife, Shirley, Rodney Waters, Barbara Waters Ross, Randy Delmasso and wife, Debbie. A special uncle, Robert Morgan Herbert and cousin, William Kenneth Herbert.
He was preceded in death by his father, William Leonard Sibley; and brothers, Lamar Tolson, Edward Leonard Sibley, Arthur Lester Sibley, Calven C. Sibley, Glen Allen Sibley, James Lucian Sibley; and a sister, Dorcus Sibley.
Pallbearers are Ronnie Anderson, Chris Cherry, James Davidson, Kelly Herbert, Charles Hostetter, Mark Tatum, Jeff Wesson and Steve York.
Honorary pallbearers are Robert Brian Leonard Sibley, Kenneth Tate Irvin Sibley, William Hodges, Jimmy Davidson, John Dungan, David Mitchell, A.V. Cates, Ray Pierson, Roy Bobbitt, Dr. David LeMaster, Dr. Robert Steve Brown, Dr. Tom El Rod, Mike Watts, Richard Daly, Jim Prichard, Paul Brown, Wayne Moad and Stanley Wallace.
The flag draping the casket was flown in honor of W.L. at the Texas State Capitol in Austin on February 26, 2004, and was presented to the family by State Representative and friend George E. “Buddy” West.
Memorial tributes may be made to Sherwood Church of Christ, Mission Fund, The Door of Hope Mission or The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America, 386 Park Ave S FL 17, New York, N.Y. 10157-2238.