William Hugh Cross

William H. Cross, Sr. "Billy", 65, of Goose Creek, SC, husband of Vivian H. Cross, died peacefully Thursday morning, December 23, 2010, in his home.

Born May 21, 1945 in Hemingway, SC, he was one of three children of Albert Hugh Cross and Ruby Benton Cross. Billy, a descendant of the founding family of Cross, spent his childhood in Cross and was a 1963 graduate of Cross High School. He joined the US Army and served in the Charlie 1^st Battalion Company Regiment Infantry 3^rd Division, known as "The Old Guard," part of the Presidential Parade Unit. He had enjoyed a 32 year career with Texaco/Shell when he retired. Billy was an outdoorsman who appreciated the woods and the beauty of nature. He and best friend, John Ankeny, established a hunt club known as the "Owl Hoot" that he enjoyed with his family and friends.

Family was most important to Billy and he cherished spending time with his children and grandchildren. He will be deeply missed by his wife of 35 years, Vivian Cross of Goose Creek, SC; daughters, Michelle J. Cross of Hanahan, SC and Madelyn Lori Cross of Fredrick, MD; son, William Hugh Cross, Jr. "Bill" and his wife Leyla D. Cross of Anderson, SC; nine grandchildren:  Thomas Albert Thomson and Savannah Michelle Thomson both of Hanahan, SC, Kathryn Josephine Cross of Fredrick, MD, Jacob Tyler Fronk of South Haven, MI, Justin Kelsey, Andrew Kelsey, William H. Cross III "Trey", Julianne N. Cross and Peyton T. Cross all of Anderson, SC; two sisters, Alberta Chavis (Audrey) of James Island, SC and Joyce Harris of Mt. Pleasant, SC; numerous nieces and nephews; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law:  Eva  & Richard Fronk of South Haven MI, Kathleen & Al Clark, Erin Ryan and Kelly Ryan all of Niagara Falls, NY, Lt. Cmdr. Patrick Ryan USN Ret. of Ashville, NC and Sean Ryan of Tonawanda, NY.

The funeral service will be held in J. HENRY STUHR, INC., NORTHWOODS CHAPEL, 2180 Greenridge Road, Tuesday, December 28, 2010 at 11:00 AM.  Interment with military honors will follow at Carolina Memorial Park.  The family will receive friends in Stuhr's Northwoods Chapel Monday, December 27, 2010 between 6:00 and 8:00 PM.

Memorials may be made to The University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, P.O. Box 4486, Houston, TX 77210-4486.