Dr. Bill Waddell

The silver cord is loosened (Ecclesiastes 12: 6-7) and the courageous soul of Dr. Bill Waddell has glided from the River of Life across to the Heavenly Sea.  Dr. Bill, 90, of Prairie Village, Kansas entered into eternal life to his heavenly home of Christ our Savior on April 27, 2022 with his family at his side.

Dr. Bill entered into earthly life on the family homestead near Breckenridge, Texas on June 17, 1931, the second born child of John Davis and Buena Josephine Boyer Waddell.  At a young age, Bill suffered several severe medical setbacks; from this he became interested in the practice of medicine.

Dr. Bill’s life philosophy was not only “down to earth”  but also permeated with the ideals of Christianity. “Let thy will, not mine, be done”. He saw beauty in all things and had a desire to help others through his knowledge of medicine.

Dr. Bill attended grade school in Crooked Oak, Oklahoma; he graduated as salutatorian in a class of 515 from Central High School; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1949; and graduated with distinction from the University of Oklahoma at Norman in 1953 with a degree in life sciences.  He was initiated into the honorary scholastic fraternity Phi Beta Kappa at an early age and was a lifetime member.

Dr. Bill was accepted into the University of Oklahoma School of Medicine and graduated with honors in 1956. He completed his residency at Tacoma, Washington Medical Hospital in 1957.

He proudly served our country in the United States Air Force from 1957-1959, despite losing the vision in one eye from a childhood accident.  He was stationed at Mildenhall Air Force Base, England as the only doctor on the base.

He enjoyed many trips throughout England but was keen on visiting over forty countries; South Africa, New Zealand, China, Argentina, Northern Ireland, Russia, Australia, Italy, Egypt, Estonia and France were some of his favorites. He most enjoyed going to resorts in Palm Springs, CA; Ft. Lauderdale, FL;  and Key West, FL with his friends.

Dr. Bill was accepted into the prestigious Henry Ford Hospital Internal Medicine Program in Detroit, Michigan and graduated in 1963 as a specialist in Internal Medicine.  After moving to Kansas City, he soon became President of Bethany Medical Center, site of the world’s first Intensive Coronary Care Unit.  For many years he maintained a solo private medical practice in Kansas City, Kansas.

In 2010, Dr. Bill was invited as a keynote speaker at the International Reformed Presbyterian Church Conference in Gartmore, Scotland. He delivered a powerful message in the role of the Christian doctor in modern medicine.

Dr. Bill was preceded by his parents; his sister Tommie Lou Hargrove; and an infant son, William Matthew Waddell.  He is survived by his daughter Susan Lind (Scott) of Ben Wheeler, Texas; son William Davis Waddell (Sarah) of Chicago, IL; grandson Alex Pourazari of Toronto, Ontario; and granddaughter Mimi Waddell of Chicago, IL.  The family would like to thank Claridge Court in Prairie Village for the wonderful care given to Dr. Bill in his final years of his life.

Aside from medicine, Dr. Bill was an accomplished concert pianist; he performed many great standard classics for attentive audiences. He was the proud owner of a Steinway concert grand piano, which is now located in the nave of Grace and Holy Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, Kansas City Missouri.

Funeral services will be held at Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral, 415 West 13th St; Kansas City, MO on Saturday, May 14 at 2:00 PM. A reception will be held following the service at Founder’s Hall.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Cathedral Music Trust Fund at Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral, 415 West 13th St. Kansas City, MO 64105.