FANCHER, William Alexander

Published in Mohave Daily News Online from Apr. 29 to May 10, 2020 - Bullhead City, Arizona - William Alexander Fancher, known to the world as "Bill" and known to his family as "Dadaw" was born in Needles, Calif. March 21, 1920 and passed peacefully Tuesday, February 11, 2020 in Springdale, Ark. five weeks shy of his 100th birthday. Bill was a man who had many endeavors in life from owning his own businesses, to his service as a deputy coroner and public guardian for the county of San Bernardino. He was raised in San Diego, Calif. but spent many of his summers in Kingman, Ariz. where his father, Francis Fancher worked on the railroad. His dream was to be a cowboy but World War II, a wife (Mary Jane Jones of Kingman) and son, Gary, took his plans in another direction. He served in the South Pacific Theater as a member of the 1st Calvary Mounted Artillery Division whose unit liberated multiple Prisoners of War camps toward the end of the war. His awards: Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic- Pacific Campaign Medal with double bronze stars and the WWII Honorable Service Award. He was very proud of his service to our country and participated in and very much enjoyed an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. He was a member of the Elks Lodge in Kingman and Needles and was a 32-degree Mason in Needles. After returning home, Floyd Brakeman of Kingman and he owned a Texaco Service Station in Needles on Broadway. About this time his daughter Barbara was born, and he decided to move his family of four to Needles. He saw that fast food was a new up and coming concept, so he opened a franchise, Foster's Freeze. Soon afterward, youngest son Bill was added to the family. He later owned the Shell Cafe and Service Station in Needles on Broadway. Bill was a true sportsman, he enjoyed hunting, following his favorite sports teams, playing cards, reading non-fiction books, and flying his own plane. Bill is survived by his three children, Gary, Barbara and Bill; five grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. He is interned in the Mountain View Cemetery in Kingman, Ariz. with his father in the Fancher Family plot. To Plant Memorial Trees in memory, please visit our Sympathy Store.