Francis William (Bill) Vandivort was born on Aug. 14, 1938, to Homer Harrison Vandivort and Florence Belle (née Parker) Vandivort at their home. Billy, as he was called by his family as he grew up on the farm located on Highway Z near Houston, Missouri.
He attended Union Elementary country school through eighth grade, then started school in Houston. Young Billy played football at Houston High and enjoyed all sports his entire life. Some of his early employment was working for John Scheets at the Clara store and hauling milk in cream cans.
As a young adult, he met Sharrion Jane Reed from Cabool, and on Oct. 27, 1962, they were married by Rollie Gibson in Cabool, and to their union five children were born: Gordon, Larry, Terry, Terisa and Kirby. The family started living in Cabool where he worked at the International Shoe Factory, but soon built a house near his parents and moved the family there in 1969, a home where he lived until he passed.
Dad was a dairy farmer after the family moved to the farm and continued to milk cows until he was 76 years old. He didn’t really retire then but got out of milking cows and the dairy operation and into an angus beef farm.
Our father was a very religious man and attended the Oak Grove Free Will Baptist Church his entire life where he was a deacon, taught Sunday school and eventually had the honor of preaching from 1988 until 2021, for 33 years. He once told me the thing he was most proud of was his involvement in the church and his commitment to the Lord.
He went home to be with Jesus on April 9, 2026, after an extended illness at the age of 87. He is survived by his wife, Sharrion Jane Vandivort; his sons, Gordon, Larry, Terry and Kirby; 10 grandchildren, Tyler Vandivort, Carter Vandivort, Ashley Lockett, Amber Moore, Austin Vandivort, Aaron Vandivort, Skylar Ward, Maygen Swearengin, Tayler Ward and Parker Ward; and many great grandchildren.
He is preceded in death by his grandparents, William and Rosa Vandivort; his parents, Homer Harrison and Florence Belle (née Parker) Vandivort; his brother, Norman Vandivort; his sisters, Dora Fry, Edith Headly and Estella Hanna; and one daughter, Terisa Ward.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 16, 2026, at Evans Funeral Home Chapel. His funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, April 17, 2026, at Oak Grove Free Will Baptist Church, officiated by Randle Scheets. Interment will be at Union Cemetery off Highway Z immediately following the funeral service.
