William Edward "Bill" Shanholtz Jr.

William Edward "Bill" Shanholtz Jr., 76, of Tyler, Texas, passed away peacefully on April 29, surrounded by his loving family. Bill was born on November 13, 1948, in Cumberland, Maryland, to William Edward Shanholtz Sr. and Virginia Lee Pyles Shanholtz. In 1962, the Shanholtz family relocated to Tyler, Texas. Bill graduated from John Tyler High School in 1966 before graduating from Tyler Junior College and attending Stephen F. Austin State University. After meeting the love of his life at the TJC teepee, Bill married Karen Ann Crawford Shanholtz on May 24th, 1969. Together, they built a beautiful life and raised three children: Tonya, Kelli, and Shelby. Bill was a devoted son, husband, father, uncle, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend. Bill worked over 30 years with Brookshire's Grocery Company in Tyler. At the time of his retirement in 2004, he was the Perishable Receiving manager. Bill had lots of interests and hobbies. He spent many nights pitching on the slow-pitch softball field and often said “I hit a home run and only made it to second.” He built his own dirt track race cars which led him and his father to open S&S Auto Salvage. His most famous hobby was penny pinching, asking, “Did you have a coupon for that?” A natural storyteller with a sharp sense of humor, Bill had a healthy dose of sarcasm. He had a gift for spinning larger-than-life tales—so vivid that you were never quite sure where the truth ended and the embellishment began. His stories kept everyone laughing except for those of us that had heard them multiple times on repeat. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Deborah Lee Shanholtz Lash, and his great-granddaughter, Sawyer Shanholtz. He is survived by his wife of nearly 56 years, Karen; his children, Tonya Shanholtz, Kelli and Greg Bergbower, Shelby and Lesley Shanholtz; and nephew Dustin Lash that was more like a son; his grandchildren, Bree Bergbower-Foster and Harrison, Brayden Bergbower and Crystal Willis, Brylee Bergbower and Cody Swaim, Lauren Norwood and Korbyn, and Brandon Shanholtz; and his great-grandchildren, Kinlei Bergbower, Lawson Bergbower, Rylee Norwood and Kolbi Holley; sister-in-law, Andra Hassell; nephew and niece, Les Hassell and Lana Starkey. His grandchildren and great-grandchildren lovingly called him "Pappap," and he cherished every moment spent with them. Bill’s legacy lives on in the stories he told, the laughter he inspired, and the love he shared with everyone. Visitation will be Friday, May 2, 2025, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Stewart Family Funeral Home, 7525 Old Jacksonville Hwy, Tyler. Funeral services will be Saturday, May 3, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. at Stewart Family Funeral Home with Rev. Elmer Cummings officiating. Burial will follow at Cathedral in the Pines Memorial Garden. Pallbearers will be Les Hassell, Brandon Shanholtz, Brayden Bergbower, Korbyn Norwood, Thomas McMillan, Cody Swaim, Harrison Foster. In place of flowers, please consider a contribution to the Shriners Hospital for Children, P.O. Box 1525, Ranson, WV 25438 (donate.lovetotherescure.org) or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 (www.stjude.org).

William Edward "Bill" Shanholtz Jr.

November 13, 1948 - April 29, 2025