William Ernest Vandergriff, Sr.

A "Celebration of Life" Service for William “Billy” Ernest Vandergriff, Sr., 82, will be held on Friday, April 26, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 2500 Southside Dr., Shreveport, Louisiana. An inurnment will follow at the Northwest Louisiana Veterans Cemetery, 7970 Mike Clark Rd. in Keithville, Louisiana at 12:30 p.m. A visitation will be held from 8:30 a.m. until the start of the service at the funeral home. Officiating the service will be James Vandergriff and Shannon Buxton.

Billy was born on November 27, 1941, in DeQuincy, Louisiana to Herbert and Beatrice Vandergriff and passed away peacefully in his sleep in McCloud, Oklahoma on Sunday, April 7, 2024.

Billy was a resident of DeQuincy, Louisiana. After his high school graduation, he enlisted in the United States Air Force on August 5, 1960. He met his first wife, Gloria, in Shreveport with whom he had four children. He was a Vietnam veteran that did two tours of duty. While in Vietnam, he earned many awards including the Bronze Star Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award among many other accolades.

After returning from Vietnam, he continued to honorably serve our country until his retirement on August 31, 1980, where he retired at Barksdale Air Force Base. There he met his second wife, Quita. After his retirement, he went to work at Barksdale with Civil Service as their Golf Course Superintendent.

His passions were maintaining golf courses and bass fishing where he lived on Lake Bistineau. He loved to fish on Lake Bistineau and the Old River where he had many wonderful times and spent time with family and friends. He also loved going to Holly Beach and spending time with his family and friends there as well. He loved being outdoors whether it was fishing, hunting, or gardening.

Billy is preceded in death by his father, Herbert Vandergriff; mother, Beatrice Vandergriff; brother, Derrick Smith; sisters, Shirley Rose and Sandra Bayless. Left to cherish his memory is his wife, Quita Vandergriff; sons, William Vandergriff, Jr. and wife, Lisa, and Michael Vandergriff and wife, Julie; daughters, Susan Sherwood and husband, Clay, and Jaime Herndon and husband, Bobby; stepdaughters, Donna Salinas and husband, Roger, Debra Browning, and Diana Gilbert; brothers, Lionel Vandergriff and wife, Ruthe, James Vandergriff and wife, Marcel, and Thomas Vandergriff; sister, Mary Armstrong and husband, David; and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nephews, and nieces.

Billy had a very blessed life and will be greatly missed by his family and all those that had the pleasure to have known him.

The family suggests that memorials may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project in Billy’s name.