Bill F. Addison

Obituary For Bill F. Addison

Mr. Bill F. Addison, 105, died at home in LaGrange, GA on September 25, 2020.

Born on August 26, 1915, in the small community of Highland Home, AL, Mr. Addison was the son of the late Henry Vivian Addison and Irene Mapes Addison. He and six siblings grew up on their parent’s small farm; and, to the delight of his family, his childhood provided many stories of life in rural Alabama in the early 1900’s. After graduating from Crenshaw County High School in 1933, he worked his way through college, attending the University of Alabama for two years and receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Education in 1939 from the University of New Mexico. He remained in New Mexico, teaching English at Albuquerque High School, later becoming Educational Advisor for the CCC Camp. Returning to Alabama in 1941, he was hired by the Chambers County Health Department and met his wife, Virginia Landers Addison. They married in December, 1942, and were happily married for 60 years until Virginia’s death in 2003. In 1942, Mr. Addison enlisted in the Army Air Corps, and he and his wife moved to Gunter Air Force Base, Montgomery, AL. In 1948, he began his career with West Point Pepperell working in various personnel capacities until retirement in 1983. Throughout his life, he always enjoyed meeting the people he initially hired, happy to be part of their life stories. Mr. Addison was devoted to his family, and his life served as a wonderful example of the values attributed to America’s greatest generation. He and his wife enjoyed playing bridge, ballroom dancing, and watching sports. At 50, Mr. Addison took up golf, playing regularly with his Riverside Country Club golfing buddies for the next forty years. He twice made a hole-in-one, the second at the age of 89. Civic and community activities included President of Valley Jaycees, Commander of American Legion Post 67, Regional Vice Chairman of Alabama American Legion, Local Chairman of American Cancer Society, member of the Board of Directors of Lanier Memorial Hospital, local chairman and chapter chairman of American Red Cross Blood Program, President of the West Point Rotary Club, and President of Riverside Country Club, among others. In his nineties he enjoyed volunteering for the Lanier Memorial Hospital Auxiliary. In 1943, Mr. Addison joined Fairfax United Methodist Church where he served on the Board of Directors and in various capacities including Chairman of Finance, Chairman of Trustees, Chairman of the Board, and others. Upon moving to West Point, GA in 2003, he became a member of First United Methodist Church of West Point. Mr. Addison was preceded in death by his wife, Virginia Dare Landers Addison and his six siblings.

He is survived by two sons, James (Mary Gwyn) of Seneca, SC; William (Alyce) of Montgomery, AL, and one daughter, Luann (Phillip) Jones of West Point, GA; six grandchildren, Landis Addison, Harper Addison, James Nathan Addison, Annie Addison, Bea Addison and Mary (Grant) Doornbos; and four great grandchildren.

His family will have a private graveside service in the Fairfax Cemetery, Valley, Alabama. Memorial contributions may be made to First United Methodist Church, 306 E 7th Street, West Point, Georgia, 31833 or Fairfax United Methodist Church, 901 Boulevard, Valley, Alabama, 30240.