Bill Smallwood, 85

Bill Smallwood

August 18, 1933 – May 30, 2019

W. C. “Bill” Smallwood, Jr., died on May 30, 2019, at the age of 85. Except for his years at Ole Miss and military service, he lived his entire life in New Albany, Mississippi. He was a businessman involved in various entrepreneurial endeavors.

Following his education in the New Albany schools, he attended Ole Miss where he was an honor student. He was a member and president of Sigma Chi fraternity, was active in numerous organizations and honoraries, received the Taylor Medal in Economics, and was inducted into the University of Mississippi Hall of Fame. After college, he served in the United States Army, stationed in Heidelberg, Germany.

Bill was a lifelong member of the Methodist Church in New Albany. He served his church on the local and denominational levels. He enjoyed teaching Sunday School and giving devotionals, assisting with Camp Sonshine, serving on financial and administrative boards, and was elected several times as a delegate to the Mississippi Annual Conference and the denomination’s international General Conference. He was active in supporting missions, both local and foreign. Bill was on the Steering Committee for UM Action of the Institute on Religion and Democracy in Washington, D.C. He enjoyed his role as Lifetime Board Member of the Wesley Foundation at Ole Miss, and was a past board member of the Methodist Children’s Home and Methodist Senior Services.

For much of his life, Bill was involved with Boy Scouts. He earned the rank of Eagle. He was an active member of the Yocona Area Council for many years, and was awarded the Silver Beaver for his years of service in Scouting.

Bill enjoyed serving his community as a long-time member of the Union County Hospital Board, and through service and community development organizations including UNITE, Union County Development Association, Red Cross, New Albany Boys and Girls Club, and the New Albany Rotary Club where he was a Paul Harris Fellow.

Most of all, Bill was a lover of God and his family. His acts of service were the fruit of his relationship with Jesus Christ.

He is survived by his son, Bill Smallwood III, his daughter-in-law, Mary Beth Smallwood, and his two grandsons, Carter and Sam Smallwood, all of Tupelo, Mississippi. He was preceded in death by his parents, W. C. Smallwood and Hazel Holley Smallwood; his brother, Edward Lafayette Smallwood; and his wife, Margaret “Peggy” Binkley Smallwood, in whose memory he endowed a scholarship at Blue Mountain College.

Visitation will be on Friday, June 7, from 5 to 7 p.m., and again on Saturday from 11 a.m. until the funeral service at 1 p.m., all at the First United Methodist Church in New Albany. United Funeral Service is in charge of the arrangements.

Visitation

JUN 7. 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

First United Methodist Church – Wesley Hall

New Albany, MS

Visitation

JUN 8. 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

First United Methodist Church

New Albany, MS

Service

JUN 8. 1:00 PM

First United Methodist Church

New Albany, MS

https://www.unitedfuneralservice.com/obituaries/Bill-Smallwood-3/#!/Obituary