Lt. Col. (Ret.) William "Bill" Thomas Archer of Sligo, Missouri passed away Tuesday, March 29, 2016 at Gibbs Care Center at the age of 83 years and 3 months. Bill was born December 29, 1932 in Manistee, Michigan to William C. Archer and Vera Margariet Soller Archer. He was united in marriage to Carolyn "Carrie" Joan Ford in June 1954 at West Point, NY. Bill began his military career in 1950 at West Point Military Academy graduating in 1954. During his twenty-one years of service he had one tour of duty in Korea and two tours of duty in Vietnam, retiring in 1975 at the rank of Lt. Colonel.  From 1975 to 1978, he and his wife lived in Texas and then moved to Sligo in 1978 where he raised cattle for over twenty years and was a rural mail carrier for ten years. During this time, he was a member of the Sligo United Methodist Church. He loved music and was the church pianist. He served as a certified layman for the Methodist Church, also served on the Sligo Cemetery Board and was past president of the Carriage Travel Club. In his spare time, he was an avid bowler and enjoyed playing pinochle with his family. He and Carrie loved to travel the country going to all fifty states and Canada. During one of their travel experiences they drove from Panama back to the U.S. He will be sadly missed by his wife of sixty-one years, Carrie Archer of Sligo, MO; three daughters, Debbie Schulke and husband Emil of Sligo, MO, Denise "Gus" Coleman and husband Allen of Cherryville, MO and Dianna McDonald and husband Terry of Greenville, TX; three brothers, John Robert Archer and wife Mary and Phillip Ray Archer all of Brethern, MI and Dean Allen Archer and wife Joan of Scottville, MI; seven grandchildren, Krista, Jackyn, EJ, Evan, Curtis, Tyler and Mary; great-grandchildren, Gracie, Eli, Josh, Keenan, Matthew and Jordan; other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; and sister-in-law, Patricia Archer. The Family received friends from 11:00 a.m. until service time on Saturday, April 2, 2016 at the Britton-Bennett Funeral Home in Steelville, MO. Funeral services were held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 2, 2016 at the Britton-Bennett Funeral Home in Steelville, MO with Pastor Jeanette Bragg officiating. Special music of "Eye of the Sparrow", "Old Fashioned Way", "In the Garden", "Whispering Hope" and "The Corp" was played. Other music of "Dwelling of Beulah Land" and "It is Well with my Soul" was sung by family members, Paula Scarbrough, Julie Barnett, John W. Archer, Aaron Scarbrough and Emil Schulke. Memories were shared by a West Point comrade, Col. (Ret.) Harlan "Bud" L. Gurney. Committal prayer, burial and Full Military Honors by the U.S. Army were in the Sligo Cemetery. Honored to be casket bearers were grandchildren, Evan Coleman, Tyler Coleman, EJ Schulke, Jackie Kunkel, Curtis McDonald and Krista McClanahan. The Family was served by the Britton-Bennett Funeral Home of Steelville, MO.