Billy Ray “Wild Bill” Dryden was born September 2, 1966, at 4:30 p.m. He passed from this life on April 15, 2016, at home, surrounded by his loving family and friends. Billy’s first passion was football, his favorite team was the Dallas Cowboys, but he loved all teams and all sports. His second passion was fishing. If he didn’t have a football in his hand, he would be at the beach, with a fishing pole in his hand.
He graduated from Hamshire-Fannett High School, in 1985. He married Tonia Maddox on December 19, 1987. Billy joined the United States Marine Corps, in January 1988, and was stationed at Paris Island in Beaufort, South Carolina, where he remained for four years. He was honorably discharged from the United States Marine Corps in January 1992, and came back to his home town of Fannett, to live amongst his family and friends and to raise his boys.
Billy is survived by his wife, Tonia; his three boys, Colton Dryden and his wife, Jessica, and their son, Colton Dryden, Jr.; Hunter Dryden and his wife, Chelsea, and their two sons, Hunter Dryden, Jr. and Ebin Dryden; and his youngest son, Dalton Dryden; mother, Mary Callahan and her husband, John; sister, Malinda Kuhn and her husband, Dale, and their three children, Alycia, Chris and his wife, Desirae, and their twins, and Mary; uncles; aunts; and numerous nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his father, Bill “Willie” Dryden.
A gathering of Mr. Dryden’s family and friends will be from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., Monday, April 18, 2016, at Broussard’s, 134 West Buccaneer Drive, Winnie. His funeral service will be 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, April 19, 2016, at Broussard’s, with interment at Broussard Cemetery, Hamshire.
