William "BIll" Lee

Hanna

William Lee “Bill” Hanna, 80 years of age, went to be with his Heavenly Father and Lord and Savior on Wednesday, November 4th, 2026.

Bill was born on September 6th, 1946 in Denver, Colorado, to Leota Viola Patterson Hanna and Russell Melvin Hanna. Bill has been a resident of Amarillo and Canyon since 1948.

Graveside services: Field of Honor, Llano East Cemetery, Saturday, November 14th, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. with Lay Pastor Joe Watkins officiating.

Bill graduated from Palo Duro High School in 1965. He received his Associate Degree from Amarillo College and later his Bachelor of Science Degree from Wayland Baptist University in 1981. Bill served 40 years in Law Enforcement beginning in 1968, with the graduation from the 24th Amarillo Police Department Training Academy until 1975, working as a Patrolman and criminal investigator. In 1975, Bill began working the next 33 years in law enforcement and criminal investigations, working for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Police Department as a Special Agent, Senior Special Agent, Investigator, Inspector and Lieutenant. From 1983 through 1987, Bill was commissioned as a “Special Texas Ranger” through the Texas Department of Public Safety. Bill obtained his Master’s Peace Officer Certification from the State of Texas. Following the merger with the Burlington Northern Railroad in 1995, Bill was promoted to the rank of Captain and, in 2002, promoted to Deputy Chief in the BNSF Railway Police Department. Bill retired on December 31, 2008.

During Bill’s law enforcement career, He earned many commendations and awards, including The Police Medal of Valor from the Amarillo Police Department in 1993 for rescuing a 14-year-old juvenile female from a vicious sexual assault and taking the 33-year-old adult male perpetrator into physical custody. Bill was also selected as a BNSF Employee of the Year in 2005.

Bill also served six years in the United States Army Reserves from 1967 through 1973 in the 974th Quarter Master Unit in Amarillo. After receiving Basic Training at Fort Bliss, Texas, in El Paso, Bill also received military training at Fort Huachuca, Arizona; Fort Hood, Texas; Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, Red River Army Depot at Texarkana, Texas; and Anniston Army Depot at Anniston, Alabama. Bill received an Honorable Discharge in 1973.

Bill was a charter member of the Amarillo Area Law Enforcement Lions Club in 1987. He was selected as “Club Lion of the Year in 1997-1998. Bill also served as Club President for the year of 1999-2000 and also served as Club Director for several Years.

Bill was preceded in death by his loving wife, Sandra Kay Moss Hanna of Amarillo, on December 21, 2023. Bill is survived by his two sons, Phillip Joseph “PJ” Hanna and wife Gwenda of Lubbock, Texas and Douglas Russell Hanna and wife Cassandra of Stephenville, Texas, brothers Jack Gregory Hanna and wife Marcella of Amarillo, Texas, and Gary Lynn Hanna also of Amarillo, Texas. Bill is also survived by five grandchildren: Shelby Madison Hanna-Moreno and husband Roy Moreno of Lubbock, Texas; Sadye Morgan[DH4] Hanna–Seoane and husband Grant Seoane of Gurley, Alabama; Parker Jordan Hanna and wife Jolie Hanna of Amarillo, Texas; Tristan Russell Hanna and wife Mackenzie Hanna of Stephenville and Logan Douglas Hanna of Stephenville, Texas; and six[DH5] great-grandchildren: Aidyn Daniel Seoane, Gunner Dean Seoane and Declan Jett Seoane, Ryder Morgan Seoane of Gurley, Alabama and Raylea Mae Moreno and Sealey Joseph Moreno of Lubbock, Texas.