Billy Don "Bill" Harness, 79, of Altus, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008, at English Village Manor surrounded by his family. A service celebrating his life will be held at the First United Methodist Church, Altus at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008. The Rev. David Player will be officiating. Burial will follow at Altus City Cemetery under the direction of Kincannon Funeral Home.

Bill was born May 27, 1929, south of Frederick in Tillman County. He was the 10th of 12 children born to Oda Otto and Ada Verle (Cole) Harness.

Bill attended school at Sunrise #6 and completed the 9th grade at Frederick Junior High before entering the workforce at age 15 in 1944.

On June 10, 1951, he married Almeta Roseann Osborne, daughter of Oder Ezekiel and Irey (Dunn) Osborne, at the Methodist Church in Frederick. They enjoyed 57 years of marriage and celebrated their Golden Anniversary in 2001 with a party attended by a host of family and friends. Bill and Almeta lived in Frederick until 1956. Their daughter Mitzi Rena was born in 1956, and the family moved to Ardmore. In 1958, they returned to Frederick and their son Billy Mark was born. The family permanently settled in Altus on April 1, 1960.
Throughout his life Bill was a friendly hardworking man with a funny sense of humor. He learned from his father and grandfather how to run a service station. He operated several service stations with his brothers or brother-in-law in Frederick back when gasoline was just pennies a gallon and service with a smile was the norm. His second career was with Miracle Laboratories Pest Control as exterminator from 1960 to 1977. Finally he served as Maintenance Supervisor for the Altus Public Schools from 1977 to 1984, when his health began to fail and he retired.

Bill was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Altus for 48 years.

He was a past member of AMBUCS, That Altus Band Parents Association and Bass Masters. He enjoyed spending time with his closely knit immediate and large extended family, feeding the birds, fresh water and deep sea fishing and the Price is Right. He took great pride in his family, his appearance, his work, his car and his lawn.

Bill Harness will be deeply missed by his loving and devoted family including his wife Almeta; son, Mark; daughter, Mitzi and son-in-law Michael "Mike" Pate; granddaughters, Cara Renee (Castle) Perez, and Christa Suzanne (Castle) Murphy and husband William "Billy" III; great- grandsons, Evan Joseph Perez, William "Will" Murphy IV and Owen Brooks Murphy, all of Altus. He is also survived by four cousins, Ray Dean Harness of Ardmore, Jimmy Harness of Tecumseh, and Bobby Williams of Wichita Falls, Texas, Patsy Vanderhoof of Lubbock, Texas; nine sisters-in-laws; six brothers-in-law; 31 nieces and nephews and numerous great-nieces and nephews and friends.

Bill was greeted in heaven by his parents, Oda and Ada Harness and great-grandson, Brandon Lee Perez. He was preceded in death by his seven brothers, Lewis, Cyrus "Jack", O.O. "Junior", Daniel Gussie, Marion "Gene" and Jerry Harness; his four sisters, Anna Elizabeth Weatherford, Blanche Lucille Hodges, Ava Nell Rhodes and Amanda "Neat" Minor; one niece; seven nephews; and close friend, Dorothy Jean Pate, mother of his son-in-law.

Memorials can be made in Bill Harness' memory to Hospice of SW Oklahoma, 1930 NW Ferris, Suite 5, Lawton, OK 73507 or First United Methodist Church, Children's Ministries, PO Box 502, Altus, OK 73522.

The family will receive visitors at Kincannon Funeral Home from 6 to 8 p.m. today.