William Joseph Day

            We are gathered this morning to bear witness to our faith in the resurrection, the resurrection of all who are buried in Jesus Christ our Lord and the resurrection of William Joseph Day.  Bill died on Thursday evening.  He was 81.

            Bill was a native of Moorefield, West Virginia, the son of Samuel Joseph and Gertrude Woy Day. He had two sisters and also a brother who died in infancy.  Bill’s father died at an early age, leaving Mrs. Day to raise her three children alone.  Even by the standards of the Depression era and poor rural West Virginia, life was hard.

            With the coming of World War II, most of the young men of Moorfield - like elsewhere across America – joined the armed forces.  Early in the war, Bill was too young.  But by the time he turned 17, Bill persuaded his mother to give him permission to sign up.  Moorefield High School awarded the junior a diploma, and Bill joined the US Army.  He was stationed in the Philippines at war’s end, and then served in occupied Japan.

            After the war Bill went to work in a tire manufacturing facility in Cumberland, Maryland.  After a few months of hard, dirty work, a friend’s suggestion that they both enroll in Shepherd College on the GI Bill sounded quite appealing.

Under the provisions of the GI Bill Shepherd College was required to admit Bill.  Given his high school record and poor preparation for college, the Dean told him that he would never make it.  Despite – or perhaps because of such a warning - Bill did well in college, and was even recognized as a member of “Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities.”  At the end of the first semester, the Dean called him in to office to apologize, and eventually gave him a job as his personal secretary. 

            At Shepherd College Bill met Rosemary Watters – as Rosemary has said, the college was so small it was hard NOT to meet somebody.  They married in 1948 and enjoyed 58 years of marriage together, and had two daughters, Elizabeth and Mary.

            After graduation Bill took a job with his first and last employer – Southern States Cooperative.  He held a variety of positions in his 40 years with the company, including District Manager in Roanoke and Regional Manager in Winchester, Virginia. At the time of retirement, Bill was Manager of Feed Merchandising in Richmond.  Bill was not only loyal to his company; he was also loyal and supportive to his co-workers.

Bill was an avid fisherman and very proud of his home state of West Virginia. He loved talking politics with friends, acquaintances, or strangers on the street!   Because of Bill’s love of country and all things political, it is fitting that his memorial service fell on an election day.

            Bill was a real conversationalist.  He liked to talk about people he knew and places he had been.  He had a well-developed dry sense of humor.

            Although not a world traveler, Bill did enjoy the annual family vacations, especially to the Outer Banks, and particularly if the trip included fishing.  Perhaps his favorite trip was his last – when the family took him to Washington to visit the newly opened World War II Memorial.

A lover of the out of doors, he was an environmentalist before environmentalism became common place.  A lover of animals, he was protective of pets and generous with the neighborhood squirrels and birds.

Holidays were the occasion for big family celebrations, often with Bill doing the cooking.  Being a grandpa came to him fairly late in life, but he took to the job at once and enjoyed his grandchildren immensely.

 A lifelong Presbyterian, Bill was a member of Bon Air Presbyterian Church for over 40 years, and served many years as an usher for Sunday worship.

Bill Day is survived by his wife of 58 years, Rosemary Watters Day; two daughters, Elizabeth Bailey and her husband Keith; Mary Miller and her husband Tom; two granddaughters, Anna and Grace Miller. Also surviving are a niece, Vicki H. Byrum; and nephews, Edmond and Samuel Bean and their families, and many friends and colleagues from Southern States.

Having gathered for our mutual support and comfort and to hear the witness of the scriptures, let us worship God:

R. Charles Grant

Bon Air Presbyterian Church

Richmond, Virginia

November 6, 2007