William Fennell

William Fennell, 59, of Itasca passed away Saturday, March 9, 2013, in Itasca. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, March 16, at Marshall & Marshall Funeral Directors Chapel in Hillsboro. Burial will follow at Ridge Park Cemetery in Hillsboro. Visitation will be from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Friday, March 15, at the funeral home.

William was born February 22, 1954 in Hillsboro to the late Dock and Beulah (Hammer) Fennell. He attended schools in the Hillsboro and Dallas school systems and later entered the Job Corps in San Marcos. After receiving his GED, he enlisted in the United States Army in 1970. In 1973, he was honorably discharged from the Army and attended Hill Junior College at that time.

Early in life, William found God and was an active member of Macedonia Baptist Church in Hillsboro. In April 1974, he met and married Janet Wharton. To this union two sons, Gabriel Levern and William Brian Fennell, and a daughter, Stephanie Renea Fennell, were born. William moved his family to Dallas in 1977, where he was employed by Allied Van Lines and Central Van Line as an OTR truck driver. He later moved his family to Itasca and was a driver based out of Cleburne. In 2006, he opened Boomer’s Ole School Bar-B-Que which he ran until his health forced him to close.

Also preceding him in death were his maternal grandmother, Frankie Fennell, and brother, David Earl Fennell.

Left to cherish his memory are his loving wife, Janet Fennell of Itasca; sons, Gabriel Fennell (Jeanie) of Itasca and Brian Fennell (Stephanie) of Hillsboro; daughter, Stephanie Houston (Torrey) of Itasca; eight grandchildren, Darion Diggs, Gabriel Fennell, II, Sha’Shana Fennell, Destiny Fennell, Briana Fennell, Alyssa Houston, Brittany Cook, and Trevor Cockerham; brother, Levern Fennell; three sisters, Bobbie Jordan, Carolyn Ali (Hassan) and Linda Russell; special friends, Doyle Storey, Kenneth Bell, Alton Winfield, Alfred Winfield, Curtis Robinson, Dwayne Norvell, Darrell Norvell, Ollie McGill, Tom Phillips, and cousin, Earl Bibles; as well as a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.