William Bill Bernard Kimble 75 of Leonardtown MD went home to be with the Lord on January 3 2012 in South Carolina in the home of his daughter and son-in-law. He was born on June 12 1936 in Pendleton County West Virginia to John B. and Sylva S. Kimble. He moved from West Virginia to Virginia as a boy and later settled in Clinton Maryland where he went to Surrattsville Senior High School and graduated in 1955. He started a career operating Heavy Machinery while still in school; learning to drive dump trucks and loaders at the Silver Hill Sand and Gravel Plant. He eventually joined the International Union of Operating Engineers Union 77 and ran large heavy machinery in D.C. for nearly 30 years. He met and fell in love with Linda Heikkila in 1956. The two were married fifty years and raised a daughter Rosalind and had two grandchildren Kielen and Autumn that they adored. Linda predeceased William in 2007. His heart was broken but his unshakeable good spirit and zest for life sustained him for a while. A patriot he served briefly but proudly in the Air National Guard. Earlier in his life he enjoyed camping and backpacking with his family and friends. Everyone realized then that it took a special man to help his wife navigate the 184.5 miles of C&O Canal with eight Girl Scouts! He looked forward to spending time traveling and enjoying the natural beauty of our great country. Surviving a brain aneurysm rupture in his 50s changed his life tremendously and he had to slow down however he found that he was able to travel with his wife. Their adventures took them all over the U.S. and to Ireland Canada Alaska and Finland. He shared stories for years of strange new foods and sights. As time passed and traveling became an additional challenge he found that he enjoyed listening to good Gospel music reading the Bible watching the Redskins and doing puzzles. He rarely met a person who did not comment on what a nice man he was. His life was a living testimony to triumph over physical adversity. He never gave up despite the circumstances that surrounded him. He will be missed by his younger sister Madeline Sandy and her daughters of Mechanicsville and by his brother Galen Kimble wife Carol and their kids of Annapolis. He was predeceased by a younger brother Wayne Kimble and by his parents John and Sylva Kimble. He leaves a legacy of love and perseverance with his daughter and her husband Rosalind and Glenn Severt his grandson who is the joy of his life Kielen Hautzenroder and his wife Beth and with his granddaughter his sunshine Autumn Hautzenroder as well as his youngest grandson Brett Severt. A sunset memorial was observed privately by family members. The family humbly requests that memorial contributions be made to: Tidewater Hospice 215 Medical Circle West Columbia SC 29169 or the Northern Senior Activity Center 29655 Charlotte Hall Rd. Charlotte Hall MD 20622. or the Crooked Creek Senior Services 1098 Old Lexington Hwy Chapin SC 29036. On line condolences may be sent to the family at www.whitakerfuneralhome.com. Whitaker Funeral Home Chapin is assisting the family.