Bill H Draughn II

William "Bill" Henry Draughn II, 86, of Commerce, passed away on March 6, 2019 at Briarcliff Nursing Home in Greenville, Texas.  He was born on July 10, 1932 in San Antonio, Texas, the son of Charles Moore Draughn and Lucy Lancaster Draughn of Wilson, North Carolina. A visitation will be held on Friday, March 8, 2019 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at Commerce Funeral Home.  The funeral will take place on Saturday, March 9, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. at First Baptist Church Commerce with Reverend Kris Myers officiating.  Interment will follow at Rosemound Cemetery.

Bill graduated from Charles Coon High School in Wilson North Carolina in 1950.  He continued his education at Atlantic Christian College and graduated in 1954 with a Social Science degree. After college he worked several years with the North Carolina Department of Transportation.  In June of 1956 he was drafted into the United States Army and was stationed in Fort Sill Oklahoma. While visiting his brother Bucky in Waco, Texas he met his wife, Phyllis. They married in August of 1958 in Miller Chapel on the Baylor University campus. 

Bill worked as a probation officer in Waco and Wilmington, North Carolina. Later, they moved back to Waco, where he began teaching in the special education department at University High School.  In 1967, Bill and Phyllis, along with their three sons, moved to Commerce, where Bill completed his education and then became a professor in the Department of Psychology and Special Education. He continued in this position until his retirement in 1987.  After retiring from teaching, he worked with Phyllis in the family business. Bill and his sons did the majority of the lawn care and maintenance for all the buildings of the day care centers.

In 1990 they designed and built Country Home Estates, the first assisted living facility in the Commerce area, where he influenced many of the children and elderly of the Commerce community.

Bill and Phyllis have been members of First Baptist Church of Commerce for over 50 years.  During that time, Bill taught Sunday school for 5th and 6th grade boys and worked with RAs for many years. 

Bill is survived by his 3 sons, Bill and wife Karen, Bob and wife Melissa, and Michael and wife Jana; grandchildren, Ashlee Farrar and husband Colton, Heather Draughn, Paige Draughn, Brittany Hartley and husband Cody, Bobby Draughn and wife Jolie, Austin Draughn and wife Reka and Raley Draughn; great-grandchildren Olivia and Macie Hartley and Teagan Farrar, brother Bobby Draughn and wife Donna, brother-in-law Dee Claunch and wife, Carol and Aunt Betty Vigus.

Bill was preceded in death by his loving wife, Phyllis Claunch Draughn, father, Charles Draughn; his mother Lucy Lancaster Draughn; his sister Betsy Ives and brother Charles Moore Draughn Jr.

The family would like to thank the ladies at Country Home Estates and Briarcliff Nursing Home for their professional and loving care.  Thanks also for the professional medical care of Dr. Tom Selvaggi M.D.

In lieu of flowers, please make a  donation in Bill’s memory to www.parkinson.org.

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