Elbert Lee "Bill" Tanton, of Hardin, passed away peacefully on Monday, November 10, 2025, at the Liberty Health Care Center at the age of 82. Bill was born on April 4, 1943, to the late Henry Lee Tanton & Gladys Rockman Tanton.
Bill spent his early years working as a commercial fisherman. He loved fishing in the Trinity River, running trout lines & trying to catch the "Big One". Most of the time the story was much bigger than the fish. His other passion was oystering. He especially enjoyed opening oysters with family & with friends that became family. He was always cutting up; he kept everyone laughing & he made the hard work at the oyster house enjoyable. He later on went to work in the oilfield industry working on "work over" rigs.
Bill was a man of integrity, kindness and very rarely had anything negative to say about anyone or anything. He had a great sense of humor, he was witty, he loved joking around and talking about old times. His greatest peace came from knowing his family, kids & grand kids were happy & healthy. He was very content in life, rarely asking for anything and certainly never wanting to burden anyone.
Bill absolutely loved his home in Hardin. He enjoyed relaxing on his porch, mowing his yard & occasionally catching a bass or two out of his little pond. He will truly be missed by all that loved him.
Bill is preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Jesse, Bobby Joe, Frank "Cooter" & Henry Don; sisters, Lillie Ann, Velea, Becky Sue & Judy Lynn.
He is survived by his sister Betty Jo; sons, Bill (Lynn) & Laurie Tanton, David & Kristi Tanton; daughter, Caroline & John Soto; grandchildren, Kelby, Lucas, Joshua, Madison, Annalee, Kameron & Kelsey; great grandchildren, Kobie, Kash, Jace, Sadie, Kelbi & numerous nieces and nephews.
Honoring Bill as pallbearers are Kelby Tanton, Lucas Tanton, Joshua Tanton, Donavan Tanton, Kameron Jones, Jim Parker. Honorary pallbearers are Ronnie Marcontell, Jason Marcontell, and Ryan Rosser.
Visitation will take place on Thursday, November 20, 2025, from 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm at Faith and Family Funeral Services. Funeral services will commence on Friday, November 21, 2025, at 11:00 am, officiated by Pastor Olyn Hendricks and Pastor Tolbert Hudspeth at Faith and Family Funeral Services. Interment to follow at Hillside Cemetery.
We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to the staff at Liberty Health Care Center for making the final part of his journey an enjoyable and peaceful one. He loved everyone that he came into contact with while he was there. Wishing a very special thanks to his awesome roommate, Sam Hall, for immediately making Bill comfortable with his new surroundings, always bringing him an extra snack, a cup of coffee, watching non-stop westerns with him and for being a genuine friend