William "Bill" Thomas Linton Jr.

Born to William and Mildred Linton in Greenville, SC on August 16, 1935, Bill was followed by sister, Grace in 1938. Graduating from Dreher High School in Columbia, SC (Class of ‘53), he went on to earn a degree in textile manufacturing from Clemson University in 1957. Later in life, Bill would attend the Executive Program at the Kenan Flagler School of Business at UNC Chapel Hill. However, as a lifelong Tiger fan, he enjoyed watching Clemson whoop up on UNC, NC State, Wake Forest (and any other team in the ACC and beyond) in many sports. As with most Clemson fans, this joy reached a fevered pitch during football season, when his blood truly ran orange.

Bill and his first wife Juanita (nee Haltiwanger) married in 1958, welcoming their first child William III (you guessed it – another Bill) in 1961, followed quickly by Lucy in 1962. John arrived in 1967, with Jane bringing up the rear in 1973.

Blue Bell (now part of VF Corporation) is where Bill spent most of his career, holding various management roles that took him and his young family on a tour of duty that included North Carolina, Virginia, Belgium and Mississippi before permanently landing back in North Carolina in the 1970’s. In the mid 1980’s, life threw Bill a couple of curveballs – Juanita was diagnosed with cancer six short months before downsizing and restructuring cost him his job with Blue Bell.

For the rest of that decade and halfway through the next, Bill’s true strength and character was on full display. Balancing hard work and a strong will with kindness and positivity, he simultaneously backed Juanita in her fight against cancer while working a number of successive consulting jobs to pay for her healthcare, mostly out of pocket.

This man never gave up. This man never complained.

A year after Juanita’s death in 1996, Bill had the great good fortune to meet his second wife, Ellen (nee Cooke). Knowing a good thing when they saw it, Bill and Ellen seized this second chance at love and ran with it. Theirs was the kind of relationship in which each often insisted they were far luckier than the other to have crossed paths – a feeling that continued for Bill up until his final moments and one that continues for Ellen today.

In retirement, Bill didn’t really slow down. His daunting experience with unemployment as a man in his 50’s prompted him to work with two friends to create an organization now known as the Triad Career Network (TCN). Offering interview trainings, resume workshops, motivational speakers and emotional support for folks who are looking for work, TCN is, in his own words, “the most meaningful thing I’ve ever done in my life.” If you know anyone who is currently discouraged in their job search efforts, he’d want you to tell them to visit the TCN website at www.triadcareernetwork.org. All services are offered free of charge.

Other organizations Bill worked with as a volunteer or Board Member include Shepherd’s Center, Industries of the Blind in Greensboro, Hospice of Greensboro, Duke Cancer Center, the Music Academy of North Carolina, and Greensboro Swim Association.

Never one to seek the spotlight and always leading by example, Bill’s humble goals of being a good and decent man rendered him a truly great one in the eyes of his wife Ellen, his children Bill (Barb) Linton, Lucy (Davis) Jefferies, John Linton and Jane (Billie) Pope, their children and many others who were fortunate enough to have known him.

Bill fought one hell of a fight against Parkinson’s thanks to his doctors, his doctors’ staffs and the staff at AuthoraCare. In his memory, donations can be made to AuthoraCare (2500 Summit Avenue, Greensboro, NC, 27405). But honestly, he’d be just as thrilled – if not more so - if you chose to dedicate some time in your life to help someone in need.

A memorial service celebrating Bill’s life and legacy will be held at First Presbyterian Church in Greensboro on Friday, January 6th at 11am. The service will also be livestreamed at fpcgreensboro.org.

Fond memories may be made at www.haneslineberryfhnorthelm.com.