Celebrating the life of
William Edward Durrett, Sr.
June 21, 1932 - December 09, 2013
AIKEN, SC - William Bill Edward Durrett, Sr., 81, died on December 9, 2013 at the Azalea Woods Nursing Home in Aiken, SC. Bill was born on June 21, 1932 in Asheville, NC to Bertha Williams and Fred Durrett.
He married his loving wife of nearly 60 years, Cherry Howard of Savannah, GA, on April 17, 1954. They met during high school at Bull Street Baptist Church.
Bill served in the United States Navy with special detail in the Korean War from 1952-1954 aboard the seaplane tender, U.S.S. Timbalier AVP-54.
A 1958 graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology with an Industrial Management degree, Bill had a 40 year-career specializing in Economic Development and Chamber of Commerce management. He served in senior posts at Columbus GA Economic Development, Gulf Power in Pensacola, FL and the Macon-Bibb County GA Industrial Development Authority and with the Tift County, Effingham County, Meriwether County, Catoosa County, and Jesup-Wayne County Chambers of Commerce in Georgia. In 1963, Bill was the first secretary of the Georgia Industrial Development Association. He was a member of Governor George Busbee's first delegation to visit Japan for economic development, which resulted in YKK establishing a major manufacturing facility in Macon, GA.
"As Executive Director of the Macon-Bibb County Industrial Development Authority from 1970 to 1976, Bill Durrett played a major role in bringing in key industries during a significant time of economic development in Macon and Bibb County," said Macon architect Gene Dunwoody, Sr., who was president elect of the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce in 1976.
During Bill's tenure with the industrial authority, GEICO opened a customer service center in Bibb County that today has become the insurance company's largest regional operations center in the U.S., the largest private employer in Middle Georgia and the largest call center in Georgia. Also, YKK, the world's largest zipper manufacturer, became one of the first Japanese companies to locate in Georgia when it opened a plant in Bibb County that today is the company's national manufacturing center. Brown and Williamson Tobacco Corp. opened a $150 million 1.2 million-square-foot manufacturing facility in Bibb County that was a major economic development generator for Georgia and the Japanese company, Texprint, opened a high quality fabric printing plant in the county.
Bill retired to Rincon, GA and was a member of First Baptist Church of Springfield and owned a golf club restoration business.
He was a devoted father to Yvonne Durrett Williams, President & CEO of the Perimeter Community Improvement Districts, Atlanta, GA, married to Charles Williams; William Edward Durrett Jr., M.D., an anesthesiologist and interventional pain specialist with The Pain Center at Aiken Neurosciences in Aiken, SC, married to Marie Mullis Durrett; and Nancy Durrett Bass, a first grade teacher in Valdosta, GA, married to Michael Bass. Bill is "BeeDa" to five grandchildren - Abbey Brinson Williams, William Edward Durrett, III, Warren Neil Durrett and fiancé Audrey Green, Lauren Elizabeth Bass and Morgan Emily Bass.
Bill's sister, Mary Louise Durrett Hulsey, resides in Gainesville, GA and his nieces and nephews are Beth Hulsey Carlson, David Hulsey, John Burl Hulsey Jr., Wesley Hulsey and the late Caroline Hulsey Fernandez. His beloved brother-in-law, was the late John Burl Hulsey, Sr.
Visitation will be held Friday, December 13 from 12:00 Noon until 1:00 p.m., and the funeral service at 1 p.m. at Fox & Weeks Funeral Directors, Hodgson Chapel. Burial will be immediately following at Forest Lawn Memory Gardens. A U.S. Capitol flown flag has been arranged by U.S. Congressman Jack Kingston for presentation in honor of Bill's naval and economic development service.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations be made to Bull Street Baptist Church, 17 E. Anderson St., Savannah, GA 31401 and First Baptist Church of Springfield, 1435 Highway 119 N., Springfield, GA 31329.
Please sign our on-line guest book at www.foxandweeks.com
Cherry - We are so very sorry for your loss and sad that our friend, Bill, is no longer with us. We missed both of you when you moved but knew it was best. We hope to get up to see you sometime but you remain in our hearts and prayers.
- Steve & Charlene Balmer, Rincon, GA
To the Durrett Family: I wanted to take a moment to express my deepest sympathy to your family. No doubt the loss of such a dear loved one will be felt by many. Please take comfort in the promise found at Isaiah 26:19 that the dead will live and will rise up. What a joy that will be. May this and the many other promises in God's word continue to comfort your family.
- Mrs. Khan, , GA
miss cherry I wanted you to know what a pleasure it was to have known Bill and to know you.he was so funny and brought many smiles to my face. Thank you sooo much for coming by the krystal to see us before you left that really meant a lot.I love you both he will be greatly missed by me and so will you sweetie.my email address is on here if your son or daughter in law want to email me I would love to hear and keep up with how you are doing
- DEbby Johnsen, springfield, GA
miss cherry I wanted you to know what a pleasure it was to have known Bill and to know you.he was so funny and brought many smiles to my face. Thank you sooo much for coming by the krystal to see us before you left that really meant a lot.I love you both he will be greatly missed by me and so will you sweetie.my email address is on here if your son or daughter in law want to email me I would love to hear and keep up with how you are doing
- DEbby Johnsen, springfield, GA
Dear Michael and Nancy, It is never easy to say good-bye to someone you love, especially when that someone is your dad. It sounds as if Nancy was really blessed with a wonderful father. I know you both have many precious memories of him to cherish. God bless you with his comfort as you grieve over your loss. We love you both---and your sweet girls, too. Love, Sue and Sammy
- Sammy and Sue Long, Valdosta, GA
Goodbye until we meet again. You were a dear man and Roy and I will always be grateful for the place you hold in our lives. We still laugh that not only did you arrange our first date, you also chaperoned it. If our first child had been a boy, we would have had to have named him 'Bill'. Thank you for taking a chance on me and allowing me to be a minor part of the growth in ED in Macon and the fun times for GEDA. You were a great role model for everyone who had the privilege of knowing you. The revenues of the golfing world will certainly fall! With much love for you and your family, Roy & Debra Plott
- Roy and Debra Plott, Jefferson, GA
We loved you and will miss you greatly.
- Michael & Vikki Gerrald, Springfield, GA
love yaw and praying for yaw
- chris redfearn, thomasville, GA
Cherry - We are so very sorry for your loss and sad that our friend, Bill, is no longer with us. We missed both of you when you moved but knew it was best. We hope to get up to see you sometime but you remain in our hearts and prayers.
- Steve & Charlene Balmer, Rincon, GA
To the Durrett Family: I wanted to take a moment to express my deepest sympathy to your family. No doubt the loss of such a dear loved one will be felt by many. Please take comfort in the promise found at Isaiah 26:19 that the dead will live and will rise up. What a joy that will be. May this and the many other promises in God's word continue to comfort your family.
- Mrs. Khan, , GA
miss cherry I wanted you to know what a pleasure it was to have known Bill and to know you.he was so funny and brought many smiles to my face. Thank you sooo much for coming by the krystal to see us before you left that really meant a lot.I love you both he will be greatly missed by me and so will you sweetie.my email address is on here if your son or daughter in law want to email me I would love to hear and keep up with how you are doing
- DEbby Johnsen, springfield, GA
miss cherry I wanted you to know what a pleasure it was to have known Bill and to know you.he was so funny and brought many smiles to my face. Thank you sooo much for coming by the krystal to see us before you left that really meant a lot.I love you both he will be greatly missed by me and so will you sweetie.my email address is on here if your son or daughter in law want to email me I would love to hear and keep up with how you are doing
- DEbby Johnsen, springfield, GA
Dear Michael and Nancy, It is never easy to say good-bye to someone you love, especially when that someone is your dad. It sounds as if Nancy was really blessed with a wonderful father. I know you both have many precious memories of him to cherish. God bless you with his comfort as you grieve over your loss. We love you both---and your sweet girls, too. Love, Sue and Sammy
- Sammy and Sue Long, Valdosta, GA
Goodbye until we meet again. You were a dear man and Roy and I will always be grateful for the place you hold in our lives. We still laugh that not only did you arrange our first date, you also chaperoned it. If our first child had been a boy, we would have had to have named him 'Bill'. Thank you for taking a chance on me and allowing me to be a minor part of the growth in ED in Macon and the fun times for GEDA. You were a great role model for everyone who had the privilege of knowing you. The revenues of the golfing world will certainly fall! With much love for you and your family, Roy & Debra Plott
- Roy and Debra Plott, Jefferson, GA
We loved you and will miss you greatly.
- Michael & Vikki Gerrald, Springfield, GA
love yaw and praying for yaw
- chris redfearn, thomasville, GA
Services under the direction of:
Fox & Weeks Funeral Directors, Hodgson Chapel
912-352-7200
