William "Bill" Edward Durrett, Sr.

AIKEN - William (Bill) Edward Durrett, Sr., 82, 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 60 years, Cherry Howard Brinson 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, Springfield, Meriwether 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 third 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, Lauren Elizabeth Bass and Emily Morgan Bass. Warren Durrett’s fiancée is Audrey Green. 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. Visitation will be held Friday, December 13 at noon and the funeral service at 1 p.m. at Fox & Weeks Funeral Home, 1200 Hodgson Memorial Dr., Savannah, GA. Burial will be immediately following at Forest Lawn in Savannah. 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. SHELLHOUSE FUNERAL HOME, INC., 924 HAYNE AVE., AIKEN, SC Mr. Durrett’s online guest book may be signed at www.shellhousefuneralhome.com To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of William "Bill" Edward Durrett, Sr., please visit our flower store.