Obituary
William “Bill” Randolph
Bill Randolph, 74, of Leavenworth, Kansas passed away Monday, May 6th 2019, in Cape Coral, Florida after a battle with illness.
Bill was born June 6th, 1944 in Petersburg, VA to Henry Reeves and Mildred James. However, he was adopted as a small child by Earnest “Lightning” Randolph after he and Mildred married, and always considered “Lightning” his Father.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Earnest and Mildred Randolph, and his beloved dogs “Molly” and “Ellie Mae”.
Bill graduated from Leavenworth high School in 1962, where shortly thereafter, he joined the Kansas National Guard in which he served proudly until 1968.
He began his career in Corrections at Lansing Correctional Facility as a Penal Officer (Counselor) in 1968, and retired as a Captain, in 1994, where he influenced the lives of many. He was commonly referred to as “Boots” by those who worked beside him.
Aside from his career in Corrections, Bill was also a licensed electrician. He worked evenings and weekends (and then full time for a number of years after his retirement from LCF) for the family Electrical business that he and his father started out of an old car in the early 1970’s, which is now known as Crockett Electric.
Bill married Judy (Johannes) Randolph November 14th, 1965. She survives of the home in Cape Coral, FL. He is also survived by a son E. Clinton Randolph of Leavenworth, KS, daughter Amanda B. Randolph (Fiance’ John Willcox) of Care Coral, FL, siblings, Randy (Thelma) Randolph of Indiana, Linda Nelson of Houston, TX, Patricia (Steve) Gilreath of Salina KS, Gloria (Roger) Crockett of Leavenworth, KS, several nieces and nephews as well as several great nieces and nephews.
Bill was a devoted Husband and Father who enjoyed time with his family and had many hobbies. He was a MOPAR fan who enjoyed working on old cars, and at one time had quite the collection of old Dodge Coronets. He enjoyed bird hunting with his family and friends through the years and was also an avid fisherman. He participated in several Bass Tournaments in the Midwest, even placing in some of them. But for him, it was not about the prize, it was about the thrill of the catch. And like most fishermen, he loved swapping “fish tales” with anyone who shared that common interest.
He also loved tinkering in his garage and was always out there fixing things. If something was broken, you could bet that he could find a way to fix it!
Bill also treasured the friendships of his neighbors and friends of all ages who he had come to know through the years. They truly meant a lot to him, and the family is grateful for their friendships they formed with him.
Bill and his wife had always wanted to live in Florida, and in his final days he had a goal to see the duplex that he and Judy had recently purchased together in Cape Coral with their daughter, Amanda. He promised his wife that they would spend the rest of their lives together, finally living their dream. And on May 4th, he honored that promise to her by making the trip and finally getting to see their new piece of “Paradise”. As always, Bill was a man of his word, right up until the very end.
Per Bill’s request, no Memorial services will be held. If you have a special memory to share with the family, you can post it on the Baldwin Brothers Funeral Home website at baldwinbrothers.com
The family would like to thank Dr. Nicholas Brockert and his staff, the ICU staff at St. Luke’s Hospital, and the many friends of the family who came together the weeks prior to his passing to help him achieve his dream. We are forever grateful.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Bill’s memory to the organizations of his choice:
The NRA Foundation, 11250 Waples Mill Rd, Fairfax, VA 22030
Hope Inc. (Spay and Neuter Program) 728 Cherokee, Leavenworth, Kansas 66048
Hope Hospice c/o Development Office 9470 Health Park Circle Fort Myers, FL 33908
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