Bud Howard Hancock, 83

Funeral services for William “Bud” Howard Hancock, 83, of Pontiac, were held May 3, 2024, at Mammoth Assembly of God church, south of Gainesville with Ron Felker officiating.

He died April 29, at Hospice of the Ozarks Hospice House in Mountain Home, Arkansas. Bud was was born in Rienzi, Mississippi, on May 15, 1940 to Thomas and Lillie Hancock. 

He was blessed with six sisters, and he was the baby of the family.

He lived on a farm in Steele, Missouri, doing day labor, driving a tractor and working in the fields. He was also a mechanic for two years. He then met the love of his life Ruth Ann Passmore. He decided to go to St. Louis to work at a factory job. He then came back to the boot hill of Missouri and on May 16, 1966, he married the love of his life, Ruth. After staying in St. Louis for a short two weeks, they moved to Gary, Indiana, with his sister Virigina and her family. Bud got a job in a small steel mill and worked for five years. The big steel mills were hiring, so he moved on up. He started at Inland Steele as a laborer and worked his way to running an overhead crane where he remained for 30 years before retiring. 

Bud and Ruth had two children Billy, and Cindy, who blessed the family with six grandchildren.

Bud had always been a very kind and loving person. He helped many people and touched lives including his nieces and nephews. 

He retired on Jan. 1, 2001, and moved to Pontiac. He loved fishing, boating and building all kinds of items from wood: guitars, rocking chairs, wall plaques, vegetable bins and decorative toilet paper storage boxes.

Bud loved life and playing music. His legacy will live on forever. 

He is survived by his wife Ruth Ann Hancock; son Billy Wayne Hancock; daughter Cindy Louise Cowles and husband Kurt Allen; five grandchildren: Matthew Farner, Virginia Garrison, Thomas Hancock, Amanda Scanlan and Christina Seymour; several great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents Thomas and Lillie Hancock; six sisters: Lois Eaton, Joy Parvin, Opal Soloman, Virginia Eaton, John Morris and Ruth Wade; grandson Charles Crapps; and great-grandson Devin William.

Memorial contributions may be made to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis, Tennessee 38105-1942. 

Arrangements are under the direction of Clinkingbeard Funeral Home, Gainesville.