William H. (Bill) Jenkins
On June 15, 2024, William H. (Bill) Jenkins passed from this life into eternal life with his Savior, Jesus Christ. He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Oliver and Oma Jenkins; a brother, Jim Jenkins and a sister, Dorothy Kimbro.
Bill was born on July 5, 1942 in West Plains, Mo. He graduated from Couch High School in Couch, Mo., in 1960. He met the love of his life in 1966 and married her on Feb. 24, 1968. They moved to Hugo in 1974; they resided in and raised their family in the same house for 50 years. They celebrated 56 happy years this year.
Bill was a wonderful provider who was very proud of his family. He enjoyed working to provide for his family and helping others with a quick or long repair project at a phone call’s notice; his favorite was a welding project. Bill started working at the young age of 7 years old driving a tractor for a family. He enjoyed working outside with his hands and could drive anything including a motorcycle, dump truck, front end loader, and anything with a steering wheel. He told Julie when she was learning to drive, he had backed more miles than she had driven forward.
Bill worked in many positions in aggregate manufacturing, from equipment operator to plant foreman to electrician. He enjoyed a good auction, deer camp, mowing the yard, and driving to the lake with Audine to look for deer. Bill was always in search of a good fried catfish meal. He once ate nine catfish lunches and dinners in a row on a work trip. He always enjoyed a funny prank or having a funny response to a serious question.
Bill was always planning the next project or how to improve someone else’s. He was always willing to help a coworker, neighbor or friend through the planning or completion of a project. Bill maintained this skill even with all of the medical staff who cared for him at the hospital. One of his proudest projects was working on Oak Grove Baptist Church. Whenever the new building was being constructed, he was there every day to work toward the completion of the project. Bill’s motto was “Always think things through, and don’t rush through a project.” He was not a man of many words, but he was always thinking.
Bill is survived by his wife, Audine of the home; daughter, Julie Perkins and husband, Skip of Soper, Okla.; son, Bill Jenkins, Jr. and wife, Ann of Tulsa, Okla.; three granddaughters: Jaelie Reeves and husband, Dexter of Broken Arrow, Okla., Ava Jenkins of Stillwater, Okla., and Ellen Jenkins of Tulsa; and great-grandson, Trace Reeves of Broken Arrow.
Bill will be missed greatly by his family and close friends.
The service honoring Bill’s life was held Tuesday, June 18, 2024 at Oak Grove Baptist Church in Hugo, under the direction of Prater-Lampton-Mills & Coffey Funeral Home.
