Billy Bob Gaddis

1928 - 2009  (80 years)

• Name	Billy Bob Gaddis
  Born	13 Dec 1928	Borger, Hutchinson County, Texas, USA
  Gender	Male
  Died	28 Aug 2009	Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, USA
  Buried	2 Sep 2009	Greenwood Memorial Park and Mausoleum - Fort Worth, Texas, USA
  Person ID	I1037	Cody LeBlanc's Family Tree
  Last Modified	28 Dec 2017

  
  

  Family	Barbara Elaine Yelton,   b. 13 Oct 1930, Beaumont, Jefferson County, Texas, USA ,   d. 5 Jun 2009, Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, USA  (Age 78 years)
  Married	Jun 1952	Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, USA
  Children	1. William Robert Gaddis,   b. 27 Aug 1953, Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, USA ,   d. 1 Aug 2012, Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, USA  (Age 58 years) + 2. J.P. Gaddis
  Last Modified	21 Jun 2021
  Family ID	F409	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map		Born - 13 Dec 1928 - Borger, Hutchinson County, Texas, USA Married - Jun 1952 - Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, USA Died - 28 Aug 2009 - Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, USA Buried - 2 Sep 2009 - Greenwood Memorial Park and Mausoleum - Fort Worth, Texas, USA  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show		Billy Bob Gaddis and Barbara Elaine Yelton Gaddis
  		Billy Bob Gaddis
  		Billy Bob Gaddis Obituary picture
  		Billy Bob Gaddis and Barbara Elaine Yelton Gaddis
  		Barbara Elaine Yelton Gaddis and Billy Bob Gaddis
  		Barbara Elaine Yelton Gaddis and Billy Bob Gaddis

  
  

  Documents » Slide Show		Birth Certificate for Billy Bob Gaddis Name: Billy Bob Gaddis Birth Date: 13 Dec 1928 Birth Place: Borger, Hutchinson, Texas, USA
  		U.S. World War II Draft Card - Billy Bob Gaddis Name: Billy Bob Gaddis Gender: Male Race: White Age: 18 Relationship to Draftee: Self (Head) Birth Date: 13 Dec 1928 Birth Place: Borger, Texas, USA Residence Place: Fort Worth, Tarrant, Texas, USA Registration Date: 13 Dec 1946 Registration Place: Fort Worth, Tarrant, Texas, USA Employer: Santa Fe Railway Co. Height: 6' 3" Weight: 194 lbs. Complexion: Dark Hair Color: Brown Eye Color: Hazel Next of Kin: Mrs. Ollie Gaddis
  		Marriage License Announcement of Billy Bob Gaddis and Barbara Elaine Yelton Published in The Fort Worth Star-Telegram on June 8, 1952
  		Obituary of Billy Bob Gaddis Published in The Fort Worth Star-Telegram on August 30, 2009

  
  

  Headstones

  Headstone of Billy Bob Gaddis Greenwood Memorial Park and Mausoleum - Fort Worth, Texas, USA Plot: Live Oak Section, Lot 2160, Space 4

  
  

• Notes

  Obituary: FORT WORTH - Billy Bob Gaddis, 80, passed away Friday, Aug. 28, 2009, in Fort Worth. FUNERAL: 3:30 p.m. Wednesday in Greenwood Chapel. Interment: Greenwood Memorial Park. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Greenwood Funeral Home. Billy Bob Gaddis was born Dec. 13, 1928, in Borger. He was the fifth child of six siblings. The family moved to Fort Worth in the mid-1930s. His first memories of Fort Worth were of selling newspapers on Main Street during the midst of the Depression. He continued to work at numerous odd jobs throughout the Depression until World War II began. Just 16 years old and his older brothers off fighting the war, Bob left school in 11th grade to work full time to help support the rest of the family. This would mark the beginning of his notable career with the Santa Fe Rail Road. He began as a signal helper in the electrical signal division. Over the span of his 44-year career with Santa Fe, he held numerous positions. These included signal foreman, signal inspector for Gulf Lines Fort Worth, and supervising centralized traffic control engineer, Gulf Lines, during his tenure in Fort Worth. Promoted and transferred to Topeka, Kan., he was the traffic control systems engineer for the Eastern Line. Five years later, Bob was promoted and transferred back to Fort Worth as the assistant signal engineer, Western Line, Fort Worth. During this period, Bob supervised the design, installation and testing of several hundred crossing warning systems. After 13 years, Bob was again promoted and transferred back to Topeka, Kan., as the assistant to the assistant chief engineer - signals Santa Fe System. In less than a year, Bob was promoted to director of Signals-Systems. He held this position for four years and then retired in August 1989. This illustrious career is highlighted even further by the fact that Bob was primarily self-educated,completing only 10 years of formal education. The Santa Fe management eventually told him that he would have to obtain his GED before they could promote him any further. Obviously, the lack of formal education did not stop Bob from reaching the top of his profession. Once retired, Bob established the very successful Signal & Communications Consultant Corporation. As president of this corporation, he developed strong business ties with Harmon Industries, Inc., Carter-Burgess, HDR Engineering, Inc., Dallas, Garland and Northeastern Rail Road, C & S Consultants, Huitt-Zollars, Ragnar-Benson Engineering and numerous other companies. Known throughout the railroad business community as an expert in the field of railroad signals and communications, Bob built a thriving business. In December 2008, Bob was ready for his second retirement and decided to close his business. Bob was a member of the following associations and committees: lifetime member of the Association of American Railroads; the Committee E of the Communications & Signal Division of the AAR for one year. He also served on the Signal Task Force of the Communications & Signal Division developing the 'Advanced Train Control System.' Bob was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle. He will be missed dearly. He was a devoted family man who enjoyed family activities such as hunting, fishing, reading, collecting coins and cooking barbecue. He was renowned for 'firing up' his monstrous barbecue cooker for cookouts with family and friends. He was a lifetime member of the NRA and the Republican party. Bob was preceded in death by his loving wife of 57 years, Barbara Gaddis; mother, Ollie Mae Gaddis; father, W.P. Gaddis; brother, Phil Gaddis; and sister, Martha Sue Lyles. SURVIVORS: Sons, William Robert and John Patrick and his wife, Kayla; grandchildren, Nathan Patrick and Kaitlin Rose; brother, Dan Gaddis of Fort Worth; sisters, Gwendolyn Hansen of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., and Betty Gaddis Kemp of Fort Worth; and numerous nieces and nephews. (Published in The Fort Worth Star-Telegram on August 30, 2009)