Life is a gift from GOD and God's timing is perfect...William Allan Carr "Bill", 89 born in Dalry, Scotland June 6, 1931 went to heaven's eternity Sunday, November 15, 2020 at home with family and friends by Billy's side.

Survived by wife, Sara of almost 67 years; daughters, Gann/Mike, Bonnie/Joe; grandsons, Michael/Felicia; great-grandsons, Parker, Finn, Axel; Raymond/Michelle; Rose, Oliver; Joe Junior/Lauren, Jonathan/Kaitlin, Mila, Kora; David/Kim Hess, Austin, Christopher, Joshua, Regina Hess; Richard/Deborah Bausch; extended family, Beth Wiese, Dawna Southern, Marvin/Dixie Ketchelmeyer, JohnDavid/Janey Kinsley and many treasured friends who are with us on this journey.  Celebration of Life will be April 2021.  "Rest and Be Thankful…Stop and Pray."

In lieu of flowers, the family suggest donations be made to: Stockton Elementary School (906 South St., Stockton, MO 65758) for new playground equipment where Bill's grandson Michael Dake is the elementary principal.  Checks should be made out to: Stockton Elementary School (please note in memo for Bill Carr or playground).

William (Bill) Allan Carr, Clan Kerr, was born in Dalry, Scotland on 6 ^th June 1931. Bill's grandparents owned a pub in Dalmellington, "Ye Old Castle House". Bill had fond memories of the pub and his grandfather working there even though he was so young. At age 8, Sept. 1939, Bill, and many other children, were evacuated to the English countryside to be away from the bombings that Hitler had ordered on the UK. This was a moment in his life that Bill did not freely share with anyone. He would only say that it was not a "pleasant" experience. In the spring of 1940, he was reunited with his family in Dalmellington.

Sometime in 1944 at age 13 Bill's family moved to Glasgow. They rented a large brick home, and his father ran the pub out of the home. They had boarders in the upstairs bedrooms. Bill remembers the house as very large, with lots of windows and chimneys. The government commandeered the house and the pub to house Naval personnel.  To make money for his family, Bill sold tea and biscuits in the Shipyard at Gourock. By the time he was 14 he had secured an apprenticeship working on the Queen Mary that had returned to Gourock at the end of the war.

Bill had a cousin, Ella Logan who was an actress and movie star. She was born in Glasgow, but lived in Hollywood, California. One of her more well-known roles was playing the lead in "Finnian's Rainbow." In 1946 she and Lloyd Nolan were visiting family in Glasgow. She asked Bill to come to America. She volunteered to be his sponsor. However, Bill and a buddy had made plans to go to Australia to work in a family business. Something happened to those plans, so at the tender young age of 17, Bill secured passage on the SS Washington to America.

Landing at New York City on Christmas Eve, young and all alone, Bill began his journey that would lead him to Sara. Bill took a train and busses to Aiken, South Carolina where he had cousins that left for America during the war. On a routine stop in North Carolina Bill left the bus to go to a diner for a cuppa. It took several attempts for the waitress to understand his thick Scottish brogue that he wanted a "cup of tea." She handed him a cup of hot water and a tea bag. Bill said he had never seen tea leaves in a "sachet" before. Not knowing what to do with it, he opened the bag and poured the tea leaves into his cup of water.

When Bill turned 18, he joined the US Marine Corp and was stationed at Camp Pendleton in San Diego, California. He would get weekend passes and go visit his cousin Ella Logan. He has many stories about the wonderful home and all the famous people he would meet while staying there. One of his all-time favorites was Judy Garland.

In 1953, at age 22, Bill left the Marines and moved back to South Carolina…..And Now…

At the tender age of sixteen, in May 1952, Sara graduated high school in Springfield, Missouri. Her father worked for the Atomic Energy Commission as superintendent of H bomb Savannah's River project and was being transferred to South Carolina. Sara was to attend Draughon's Business School in Augusta for the fall term. So, at age 16 (she would be 17 on 13 ^th November) Sara rode the bus from North Augusta to Augusta for school.

Now guess who else was riding that bus?... Sara to school and Bill to work.

They certainly noticed each other and had friendly conversations. On 27 ^th December Bill asked Sara for a date. She said yes. They took a bus to see a movie. As fate would have it Sara's father was hosting a New Year's Eve dinner and dance for his employees. Sara invited Bill to the party to meet her parents. During the dancing Bill got up and sang "Danny Boy." (As he has done many times since). And the rest is history….

They were married 22 ^nd February 1954 on Sara's, mother and father's 25 ^th wedding anniversary. In August of 1954 they moved back to Springfield, Missouri.

Nearly sixty-seven years later they have had two daughters and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Daughter, Gann Dake (Michael); Grandson, Michael (Felicia); and Great-Grandsons, Parker, Finn and Axel.  Grandson, Raymond/Michelle and Great-Grandchildren, Rose and Oliver.

Daughter, Bonnie Mazza (Joe); Grandsons, Joe and Jon.

Bill has shared his love of Scotland through his many stories and through our Ayr Burns Club.

Bill was surrounded by many friends and family all of his life. He was loved by many.  On Saturday, our piper from the Ayr Burns Club, Richard Bausch, played for Bill and all of us who were with him. Bill could only smile and squeeze Sara's hand. Early Sunday morning, 15 ^th November 2020, Bill left his earthly body with Sara holding his hand.