William "Bill" K. Black

William “Bill” K. Black, age 78, passed away on January 6, 2025.  Bill was born and raised in south Mississippi. He graduated from Pascagoula High School in 1964, and then worked as a plumber and pipe fitter alongside his father at Dixie Mechanical to help pay his way through college. He graduated from Mississippi State University in 1969 with a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering and began his career in the Oil and Gas industry in Kansas soon after. In 1979, Bill was very proud to start his own company, W.K. Black, Inc., in Pratt, Kansas, where he consulted on all things Oil and Gas and designed drilling equipment for his clients. In 1992, he decided to close up shop and return to his Mississippi roots. He began a second career as a Senior Engineer at Ingalls Shipbuilding developing ship systems for the United States Navy until his retirement in 2007. Since then, Bill enjoyed spending his days farming, fishing, playing the stock market, watching Fox News, perfecting the afternoon nap, and being a devoted husband, father, papa, and dog dad. He was a friend to all who knew him and wouldn’t hesitate to give anyone who needed it the shirt off his back – which was more than likely a long-sleeved denim Wrangler. He loved growing vegetables to share with others and was a force to be reckoned with in the kitchen. Feeding people was his love language, and he always made sure he cooked all his family’s favorites when they came to visit. Gumbo, stew, fried fish and shrimp, homegrown vegetables, sweet potato pie, and peanut butter fudge just won’t taste quite the same now. 

As the years passed, Bill traded his cowboy boots for Crocs, spent more time inside than out, and preferred riding his 4-wheeler more often than his tractor. But his love for family, friends, and the Lord never wavered.  He was truly one-of-a-kind, and his absence will be forever felt by those who were lucky enough to have been loved by him.

Bill is preceded in death by his parents, John and Anita Black; his sister, Johnnie Beth Hance.

Those left to cherish his memory include his wife, Diane Black; children, Kenneth Black, Calvin Black, and Kim (Kevin) Smith; grandchildren, Alex (Jake) Spano, Colton Black, Bella Black, Canyon Black, Kallie Black, Sydney Smith, and Savannah Smith; siblings, Patsy (Terry) Puckett and Denise Savell; and numerous other beloved relatives and friends.   

The family will hold a celebration of Bill’s life on Saturday, January 18th, 2025 from 11:00 AM until 12:30 PM at Antioch Church of Benndale on Highway 57, 2 miles south of Highway 26. Friends and family are encouraged to come and share stories and memories to help honor a life well lived. 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Bill’s favorite charity, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at www.stjude.org.

Moments Funeral Home, locally owned and operated, is honored to be in charge of arrangements. 

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.