I was shocked when I heard the news of Bill's passing. A man who is always so full of life, no way could he be gone! I remember so many times when I was a kid, him being around Barb and Gary and the rest of the Trunque. Out at the farm, or at the dances. Always nice to me! And always genuine. Friend forever!
Hart-felt condolences on the loss of Bill. One of the kindest human beings I’ve ever known. He loved to make everyone laugh. I always think of him at the mere mention of pie. Oftentimes he shared this childhood memory:
A Perryville neighbour came over saying, “I’ve got these two pies & I don’t know what to do with them.”
Bill is my second cousin, and his mother was my Godmother. I have spent many wonderful days and evenings with him. Bill also spent a lot of summers on the Otte Farm in Ozora. I was fortunate to have visited with him and listened to him sign on December 18th at Immaculate Conception in St. Mary. He will be missed and my prayers for family. Video will be posted later.
I met Bill only once at the Historic Bridge Weekend in 2011 and liked him right away. He was a walking encyclopedia when it came to historic bridges, preservation and Missouri's history itself. He was a teacher and a mentor and played a key role in saving many historic sites, one of which was the Riverside Bridge in Ozark, where he helped Kris Dyer and Co., save it twice. He spoke at the HB Weekend and we enjoyed some stories and his great sense of humor. I wrote a brief eulogy about him, which you can find here: https://bridgehunterschronicles.wordpress.com/2026/01/14/remembering-bill-hart-1955-2025/ He will be missed by many and hope his legacy and teachings will be passed down to others who are as passionate as he was. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends and those who knew him.
I only met Bill a few times in my life but my mother, Kathy, spoke so fondly of him throughout the years. What I remember still rings true when I look at pictures of Bill: his heart was beautiful and his eyes twinkled. My memories of him are of him sharing a story, laughing, and most importantly I observed how absolutely happy my mother was in his presence. I hope you and my Mom are laughing together now. Love and aloha, always.
My sympathy to all who knew and loved Bill. He was so sweet. My thoughts and prayers are with all. Bill introduced me to so many things: music, art, dance, & adventure. I thank him for this and his dedication to preserving history & all things beautiful. Loved him in so many ways.
I did not know Bill personally, but I very much appreciated his leadership in preserving Perry County's history and in supporting thousands of genealogists like me as we sought to know our ancestors. Rest in peace.
Bill was an amazing person- a true building hugger and a great friend. I was so sad to hear that he had passed away. The world will be worse off without his kindness and humor. I’m so so sorry for your loss.
This obituary is one of the most perfectly written summaries of a life I have ever read, and it captures the Bill I knew just perfectly. We sang together for the 16 years I was part of the St. Louis Symphony Chorus, until I moved to Seattle. I'm so sorry that I'm unable to join you in Perryville for the memorial, but I'll keep an eye on the date (when announced) for Seattle. I continue to hold Bill and all who loved him in my heart.
Sorry to hear of your loss. He was a good friend and I have many memories that come to mind. Many memories from the gatherings at Greg's house and office. Praying for the Lord to send comfort and peace to all of you. I hope to join the celebration in the spring.
My sincere prayers and condolences for Bill's family and friends. I met Bill when I became friends with his sister Mary! He was such a cute little boy. So full of life. I became friends with the rest of the family. They were wonderful people. Prayers for all of them.