W.C. "Bill" Hinds, Jr.

W.C. Hinds, Jr, "Bill," passed away January 23, 2022 in Iuka, MS at 70 years of age. He was a resident of Marietta, MS for the past 15 years. Bill was born on October 10, 1951 in Baldwyn to the late W.C. and Elese Hinds. He grew up in Guntown with three sisters, and their house was the gathering place for the kids of the town. Bill was a cowboy, through and through. He grew up riding horses and gallivanting around town, earning his nickname of "Wild Bill," which he used when he started riding bulls out of high school. He continued bull riding for 11 years, and he had the scars to prove it. His saying while on the circuit was, "If you can't ride 'em, hang up and thrill the crowd." One of his favorite hobbies was endurance trail riding, which he did for about 12 years. He rode for Long Rider Arabians, and his preferred trail to ride was Witchdance Horse Trail, part of the Tombigbee National Forest. He even helped to build a trail that would intersect with Witchdance, a fact of which he was quite proud of.

Bill's work history was long and colorful. His first job was at Guntown Slacks - a position his mother got for him and of which he had no choice in the matter. He spent bouts of time working in pest control, training as a truck driver, owning his own "hippie" store in Booneville, and even being a part of the FBI. (While telling this fact, he always made it seem quite impressive, but those that were close to him know he worked in the mail room and wasn't even given a gun.) He spent several years each at different factories such as Malone & Hyde, Action, Arvin, Quality Coatings, and Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. He worked for Cooper Tire for about 12 years, and then moved on to become a tour guide at the Tupelo Buffalo Park & Zoo. After leaving the Buffalo Park, he worked for Mastercraft Builders until he retired in 2017.

Bill was an avid reader, and his favorite books were by Louis Lamour, in which he owned his entire collection - leatherbound and gold embossed. No matter where he lived, his bedroom floor would be littered with stacks of books, some of which he'd already read 10+ times. While living with his elderly mother, their regular pastime was to sit in the living room together, each reading their own book, four hours on end. It was partially due to this that he knew so much trivial knowledge. Bill loved to complete the crossword puzzles in the paper (which he did in ink and always finished). If he competed in any trivia games, he was bound to win. Jeopardy was his favorite game show to watch, and we always thought he could have succeeded if he had appeared on the show.

Bill was full of jokes and quick wit. Sometimes he would chuckle to himself, and when asked what was funny, he would respond, "Oh, I just told myself a joke I'd never heard before." He never met a stranger, and he formed friendships quickly. Anywhere he went, you could bet that he would find someone he knew, and he would probably have a crazy, outlandish story about how they met.

His generosity held no bounds. He would give you the shirt off his back if he thought you needed it. This generosity continued until the end, when he insisted his organs be donated, even when he was told countless times they couldn't because of his illness. (This is also a glimpse into his stubborness.) While his generosity was extended to everyone, it was never a question when it came to his family. He would go above and beyond for them. It was during one of these times that he ended up back in church with his son, and this is where he refound his faith. When asked a few years later by the preacher if he knew that he knew where he was going after death, Bill responded, "I have no doubt I am saved and going to heaven. I can't change what I did in the past, but I can change what I do going forward."

Bill was preceded in death by his father, W.C. "Dub" Hinds, and his mother, Elese Hinds. He is survived by his three children, Matt (Jennifer) Hinds of Iuka, Clay (Amber) Hinds of Hamilton, AL, and Kayla (John) Tutor of Tupelo; eight grandchildren, Josie Hester, Katlyn Puckett, Maggie Hinds, Isiah Hinds, Samson Hinds, Avalynn Tutor, John Hollis Tutor and Cora Tutor; four great-grandchildren, Everett Hester, Garrett Hester, Kaden Puckett and Wyatt Puckett; his three sisters, Kaye Lyle, Sandy Pressley, and Diane Houston; several nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews; and the countless friends he's made along the way.

Memorial services will be 2 pm Saturday, January 29, 2022 in the Baldwyn Chapel of Kesler Funeral Home with John Tutor officiating. Visitation will be 12-2 pm Saturday at the funeral home.

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