William David Maddox, Iii (Lansing)

William David Maddox, III answered the call when the Lord chose to call William home on Friday, June 18th, 2021, due to health issues. Age 70 years old. He was born on January 23, 1951, in Indianapolis, Indiana. The son of Magdeline Gilbert and the late William David Maddox, II.

William attended the Indianapolis Public School System and graduated from Arsenal Technical High School. He served in the US Army and upon discharge became gainfully employed as a Federal Employee Air Traffic Controller. He moved his family to Lansing, Michigan in 1988 and completed his 34+ years with the Federal Government thru retirement in 2010.

Jr., as he was fondly and lovingly called by his family and friends, was a very talented individual. He excelled in all sports (especially wrestling & football), a gifted artist, a knowledgeable person, and an extremely wise man. He always wanted to use his head and not his hands when it came to manual labor. If you had questions about anything with instructions his response was, “Read the book.”

He loved God, his family, his friends, his career, and his church. His career afforded him the opportunity to travel to many places, acquire pilot hours, and learn the art of flying a plane.

Jr. was a Controller in the tower, the center, and finally Manager in the Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC).

William was an all-out good person. No, he was not perfect as none of us are, but his belief was “to always do the right thing.” Words cannot express the void we now feel in our hearts, but we know that God fills voids and heals wounds, especially when we trust and depend on Him.

We are all here on borrowed time, but the question is, “Are we ready when we are called home?” Jr. was ready and because of that we are confident we will see him again.

Remaining to cherish is loving memory, his wife, Katrina Maddox; son, David L. (Kim) Maddox; daughter, Shonna L. Maddox; grandchildren, Ambrosia L. Maddox and William D. Hall; mother, Magdeline Dowdy; sisters/brother, Linda (David) Rich, Pamela Robinson, Ray (Debra) Dowdy, Kristy Dowdy, Mary-Jane Taylor; uncles, Lawrence (Mary) Brookins, and Smith Gilbert; Nieces/Nephews: Madelynn (Stacey) Croney, Glenn (Karen) Dowdy, Delbia (Derrick) Jones, Tiffany Turner, Daisha Dowdy, Bryant Rich, Bryana Rich, Dana (Johnnie) Long, Jaredd (Durojaye) Smith, Donte Hill; Brother-in-law Calvin McNary; Sister-in-laws Cynthia Drumright and Stephanie Watts; many other cousins, great-nieces, great-nephews, and special family friends.

Preceding in death: father, William David Maddox, II; granddaughter, Brittni N. Maddox; grandparents, Dan and Leola Gilbert, William D. (Georgia) Maddox and Alice Maddox-Brookins; Father/Mother-in-law, Richard and Josephine Grider; sister, Joyce-Ann Dowdy; and niece, Adrian Anderson.

Lovingly submitted, The Family