TRIBUTE to Bill Draper
This is Your Life was the theme of a recent tribute to Bill Draper

BILL DRAPER

for a life spent in service to his church and his community. More than 40 fellow church members, former co-workers, and family surprised Bill and Kathryn Draper in the Fellowship Hall of First Baptist Church in Rusk for a nostalgic look at a 55 year history of devotion to the community.

Master

of ceremonies Hank Watson led the audience through a visual presentation of W.D. Draper's life highlighted with testimonials from friends. As Nancy Finley, Jim Tankersley and Weldon Pringle spoke of their experiences working for "Mr. Draper" in the business office of Rusk State Hospital, the words integrity, high standards, professionalism and appreciation were echoed. Grover Talbert, former pastor for the Drapers at First Baptist Church, Rusk, shared his A to Z definition of what Bill meant to him as. Beth Egbert, former FBC church secretary, praised him as church treasurer for helping her learn to use a computer to manage church records. Mary Jane Jones spoke of the influence Mr. Draper had on her in her work at RSH and in her marriage, reflecting on what she learned from Bill and Kathryn who taught the newly married couples class at church. Ike Daniels reminisced about the Lions Club when Lion Bill volunteered for service projects, even growing a scraggly red beard to promote the rodeo. The couples' three daughters, Patricia Harrison, Barbara Draper and Debra Suttles, closed the event with a loving tribute to a father who loved his family, led them to share his faith and made his family a priority in his life. Reverend Lee Welch closed in a thanksgiving prayer for a life well-lived in service to the Lord.

Bill was born in Rusk in 1927 and moved to Alto when he was six years old where his father bought a blacksmith shop. He began work at the age of nine at the Alto Theatre and worked throughout his youth, though he managed time to play football at Alto High School and assume the lead in the senior play. After high school Bill joined the Navy and served 30 months in the U.S. Navy Hospital Corps as a pharmacist mate aboard the USS Benevolence in the Pacific. His ship participated in "Operation Crossroads", the first underwater test of an atomic bomb at Bikini Island in the Marshall Chain and he remembers the "flash" and feel of the wave of the explosion. Bill attended SMU and graduated in three years earning a BBA degree in Professional Business Accounting.

Bill and Kathryn Martin were classmates in Alto schools but did not know each other well. In 1949, Bill became reacquainted with Kathryn on a bus from Alto to Dallas where Kathryn was working for an engineer at the Dallas Transit Company and Bill was attending SMU and working nights at First National Bank. He knew Kathryn was the one he wanted for his wife and the mother of his baseball team. They married six months later in May 1950, in the parlor of Dr. W.A. Criswell's home. In April 1953, Bill accepted a position as chief accountant at Rusk State Hospital and they moved to Rusk with their first daughter to begin a 40-year career with the hospital.

Mr. Draper was promoted to business manager in 1957.During his tenure, he organized and served as first president and director of the Rusk State Hospital Credit Union ( now S.Cherokee Federal Credit. Union) and served as local president and state representative of the Texas Public Employees Association.

Bill was an original member of the Rusk City Park Board (later serving as chairman) during the construction of the Texas State Railroad Park and served as a director and membership chairman for the Rusk Chamber of Commerce. During his active membership in the Rusk Lions Club, he served as president, and volunteered as chairman of the swimming pool committee, rodeo chairman, and Lions' Park chairman. He also chaired the American Red Cross and served as director of the United Way. He volunteered for the Cherokee Wildlife Association, Boy Scouts of America, the girls softball league, the Little League and Pony League and the Rusk Quarterback Club.

Mr. and Mrs. Draper joined First Baptist Church when they moved back to East Texas in 1953. There he served as Sunday School Superintendent until 1955. In 1956, they joined Calvary Baptist Church, a mission of First Baptist Church, where they helped to build and establish the church from the start. He was ordained as a deacon at Calvary Baptist Church in 1957 and served until 1967 when the family moved their membership back to First Baptist Church. At First Baptist, he has served as a deacon, deacon chairman, Sunday School teacher, superintendent, Training Union director and Brotherhood president. As long-time church treasurer, Mr. Draper led the note-burning to retire the church debt in 1996. He recently retired as teacher of the senior adult class.

Married 58 years, Bill and Kathryn were blessed with three daughters: Patricia, Barbara and Debra, and a son, William David, Jr. Even through the tragic and untimely death of David, the Drapers stood strong in their faith. They find joy in David's legacy through his wife Meredith and two daughters Katy and Amy. The family also lost a young grandson (Brian Suttles). The family includes two sons-in law, Tom Harrison and Kerry Suttles; a daughter-in-law, Meredith Draper; eight grandchildren, Collin, Leslie and Luke Harrison, Shaun, Brian and Megan Suttles, and Katy and Amy Draper; five greatgranddaughters and a new great-grandson named after his great-grandfather William. He and his wife vowed to keep, "…as for me and my house we will serve the Lord," Bill Draper's life is an inspiration to his family, his friends and to the community he has served for over half a century.