Bill Leftwich (1923-2009)

Bill Leftwich was born June 22nd, 1923 and died April 2009 at age 85. He is buried in the National Veteran's Cemetery, Dallas, Texas.

Bill grew up in Dallas, and graduated from Highland Park High School in 1940. He enrolled in Texas A&M in the fall of 1940, but joined the Army soon after and served in World War II with the 12th Armored Division. He was awarded the Silver Star for heroism in the Battle of the Bulge.

He studied briefly under Pofirio Salinas for a short time in San Antonio.

He re-enrolled at Texas A&M after his discharge from the army and worked for The U.S. Soil Conservation Service and Lubbock Christian College before he became self-employed as an artist the rest of his life.

He co-authored a book, The Cow Killers, with Fred Gipson. It related Bill's experiences as a livestock inspector in Mexico in the late forties and early fifties, which involved combating the foot and mouth disease. It was illustrated with Bill's sketches of events during that time.

He worked in a variety of media: oil, pastels, pen and ink, leather, and bronze.