Bill D. Bean, 86, of Centralia, Kansas, died Sunday, February 22, 2015 at his home.
Bill was born to Robert C. and Ethel (Schofield) Bean in St. Joseph, Missouri, on September 25, 1928. Bill attended a Nemaha County Country School near Centralia, graduating from the 8th grade; he received his GED at the age of 72. After his schooling, he helped his father on the family farm until he married.
On March 6, 1948, he married Betty B. Dreher in Seneca. The couple moved to California where Bill owned and operated B & A Grading Company, an excavating and grading business with his brother-in-law Arden Dreher. They raised three children there and in 1967, they returned to the mid-west where they engaged in farming and trucking until retiring in Centralia at the age of 62. Bill and Betty enjoyed doing woodworking and crafts and taking care of the Centralia City Cemetery for five years.
Survivors are his son, Bill (Amy) Bean, Jr. of Bakersfield, California; two daughters, Sharon (Jim) Botonis of Statesboro, Georgia and Linda (Larry) Burden of Seneca, Kansas; nine grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife Betty on October 11, 2006; a brother, Robert C. Bean Jr. on March 12, 1984; and a half-brother John Horn on March 3, 1985.
Graveside inurnment services will be held on March 14, 2015 at 11:00 AM at the Centralia Cemetery with reception following at Terrace Heights in Seneca.
To express your sympathy and for more information visit www.lauerfuneralhome.com .