William "Billy" Douglas Etheridge

Rocky Mount - 

William “Billy” Douglas Etheridge, age 86, died in the early morning hours of Tuesday, April 9th, 2024.

He was born in Martin County, NC on October 7, 1937 to John David and Daisy Lewis Etheridge. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, John David Jr. and June, his sister-in-law.

Billy is survived by his wife of thirty-eight years, Ginny, whom he met while eating lunch outside the Nashville courthouse; five children and their families, all of whom he dearly loved: Sam Etheridge of Montgomery, AL; Paul Windley and wife, Diana, and grandchildren, Savannah Jane, Zeno, and Penelope, all of Winston-Salem, NC; Sarah James and husband, Adam of Raleigh, NC; and Will Etheridge and wife, Rachel, and grandsons, William Martin and Jonah David, all of Durham, NC. He is also survived by numerous cousins and lifelong friends, especially the Honorable James "Jimmy" Martin and wife, Diane of Greenville, NC, Everett Purvis of Hassel, NC, and Irene Purvis Johnson of Hamilton, NC. 

Billy lived a life of adventures, even naming the family’s waterski boat “Think Adventure”, and passed along his love of life and appreciation of beauty to his children and grandchildren. He was born in Martin County, NC, during the latter years of the Great Depression and grew up in the small town of Hassel where he worked on the family farm and played baseball & basketball. He suffered a broken toe as a child while playing second base in bare feet. He excelled at basketball and was named to the Oak City All-Area team in 1955. Following high school graduation, Billy attended and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1959 with a BA in History. During his undergraduate studies, the Carolina basketball team won the 1957 NCAA Championship. Billy stayed in Chapel Hill for an additional three years and graduated with his law degree in 1962. He subsequently served as a law clerk for the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of North Carolina, under Judge John Larkin Jr. from 1962-1963 and was a U.S. Magistrate for the same court from 1968-1975. In 1965, Billy moved to Rocky Mount and began practicing law with the late Bill Thorpe. He retired in August 2022 as the senior partner of Etheridge, Hamlett, and Murray, LLC of Nashville, NC. 

Billy was a source of entertainment, jokes, and stories for his family and friends. He was known to exchange his children’s or grandchildren’s glass of Mountain Dew with Mt. Olive dill pickle juice after the last pickle in a jar was eaten. He played innumerable games of basketball with his children under “Billy Rules” where the defined end of the game always seemed to change based on the circumstances. Many hours were played with his grandchildren in the blanket and pillow closet under the stairs, and skits with props were grandchildren’s expectation of their “Poppa” before departing from a weekend visit to his beloved Farm. As one of his dear cousins said, “Billy was a great lawyer, but a better daddy.”  

Billy loved to travel. He took his family on many memorable adventures including Washington, DC, multiple trips to Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas’ beaches, White Lake, a cross-country trip to California, and biannual trips to Williamsburg, VA, a family favorite. Billy was an incredible orator, a gift he utilized both professionally and personally, telling stories both personal and invented. He was a faithful and long-serving Sunday school teacher at Lakeside Baptist Church. He was a lifetime learner, had an eclectic musical ear, an endearing sense of style, and an uncanny ability to give out of gas on a regular basis. Billy continued to play basketball in the latter years of his life, having an indoor hoop in the warehouse portion of his office.

The family would like to thank Billy’s long-time primary care physician, Marzena Laszewski, and the staff of Hospice & Palliative Care of Nash General Hospital for their incredible support during the latter weeks of Billy’s life.

A graveside service will be held at 11:00 am, Saturday, April 13, 2024 at Bend of the River Farm, 6908 Billy Buck Lane, Rocky Mount, NC  27803. Casual attire and footwear are recommended. The family will receive friends 5:00 - 7:00 pm, Friday, April 12, 2024 in the Sugg Foyer at Lakeside Baptist Church, 1501 Sunset Avenue, Rocky Mount, 27804, and other times at the home.

A warm welcome is extended for friends and guests to share Billy’s love for his favorite color by wearing yellow as you attend his memorial events. 

While floral tributes are appreciated, those wishing to make memorial donations are asked to consider Lakeside Baptist Church  - OR - UNC School of Law, Sylvia X. Allen Scholarship Fund

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