Bill was born June 22, 1929 in Slide Community, Lubbock County to James Thomas and Dessa May Ratliff Dodd.
He attended schools in Slide and graduated from Cooper High School in 1946. Bill was raised on a dairy farm. As
a boy he enjoyed being outside and delivering milk with his father. As he grew older he enjoyed hunting rabbits with his grey hounds. He was a fan of Bob Will’s music and was an avid reader. He loved to have fun and cut-up with his
brothers and sisters. Bill also loved a good debate. He met Elinor Greenwood in Lubbock and later married in Clovis, NM in 1951. She preceded him in death in July of
2016. As a young man, Bill worked as a delivery man for the Texas Tech Dairy Program. He later entered the construction
field through a Government program to provide housing for uranium workers in Grants, NM. Bill was also a licensed auctioneer. In 1965, Bill became a born-again Christian and entered the Gospel Ministry in 1968. He pastored 6
churches during his 48 years as a pastor. His last pastorate was his beloved Bible Baptist Church, Rising Star, Texas, where he was pastor about 20 years. Bill was “Independent Sovereign Grace” in his doctrine.
Bill was a passionate servant of the Lord and loved to relate his spiritual experiences to others and to discover
what their spiritual experiences had been with God as well. He delighted in the spiritual instruction of God’s Word and was a great theologian. He will be remembered for his knowledge and passion for the Word of God and a great defender of the King James Version of the Bible. His spiritual experience with God and its effect on his life was exemplary of what God can do in the life of the common man.Bill loved his kids, grandkids, great-grandkids and loved to write them letters as long as he was able. He was the family
prayer-warrior, praying daily for each one by name and any concerns they had.
Survivors include four children: Daughter, Lynn Whitfield of Lubbock; Daughter, Dessa Mitchell and husband Larry
of Wheeler, Texas; Son, Will Dodd of Lubbock; Daughter, Jill Goodwin of Brownwood, Texas; Eight grandchildren, five great
grandchildren: Wade Mitchell and wife Emmy and children Carson and Kailee of Amarillo, Texas; Wess Mitchell and wife Elizabeth and children Wesley and Charlotte of Arlington, VA; Audra Mitchell of Austin; Kevin and wife Rikki Dodd
and son Cooper of Hobbs NM; Katy Dodd of Austin; Stephanie Dodd of Dallas; Paige Goodwin of Lubbock; Tessa Goodwin of Brownwood, Texas.
He is also survived by a cousin, Donald Cheek of Arizona; sister-in-law, Ava Nell Sewell of Lubbock, and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, wife Elinor, Daughter-in-law, Ann Dodd, Granddaughter Ava Brooke Goodwin, three brothers, and three sisters.
