Bill Siler's Obituary
Bill Siler was born in Leighton, Tennessee, Madison County, on November 6, 1942. He is preceded in death by his parents, Ruben Manley Siler, Sr., and Opal Upton Siler, and by his older brother, Ruben Manley Siler, Jr. He is survived by a niece, Magan Flynn, of McKinney, Texas, and a nephew, Greg Siler, of Omaha, Nebraska.
Bill spent his early years in Mercer, Tennessee. He attended Mercer Elementary School and South Side High School in Bemis, Tennessee. In 1957, the family moved to Memphis. Bill graduated from East High School in 1960, where he was a member of the National Beta Club.
After high school, Bill entered the U.S. Marine Corps. He served in San Diego, Okinawa, and Vietnam as a radio repairman.
Upon discharge from the Marine Corps, Bill entered Memphis State University (now University of Memphis). He graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1968 with a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in mathematics and physics.
Bill worked for Sylvania Electric Products at their photoflash manufacturing facility in Dyersburg, Tennessee, from 1968 until 1973.
Bill entered Memphis State Graduate School in 1973, where he earned a Master of Science degree in mathematics.
In 1978, he began work in the IT department of the wholesale grocery firm Malone & Hyde in Memphis, where he would remain for 19 years, mostly as an IT manager. It was at Malone & Hyde that Bill met a wonderful young lady, Bonnie Burton, who became his wife on November 20, 1982. Bonnie survives him.
Bill, through encouragement from Bonnie, was baptized into the Lord shortly before their marriage. They were members of Park Avenue and Quince Road Church of Christ before becoming long-time members of Germantown Church of Christ.
After leaving Malone & Hyde, Bill worked at FedEx from 1997 through 2004, when he retired. Bill was an avid reader on a wide range of subjects and an enthusiastic amateur photographer. He was a longtime recreational runner, completing two marathons and numerous shorter races.
In lieu of flowers, Bonnie suggests donations in Bill’s memory to Harding School of Theology, Freed-Hardeman University, or Saint Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
The family will receive friends at Germantown Church of Christ on Saturday, June 27th, from 1:00 PM until funeral services at 2:00 PM. Interment will be in Memorial Park Cemetery.
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