William Doric Tynes, Jr., sharp-witted, kind-hearted, and unceasingly funny died on October 15, 2018. He was 86. As a community and civic leader, Bill led by “quiet” example; unless, you had the distinct pleasure of sitting next to him where his “under the breath” humor made many a grown man cry. He was a member of several clubs and organizations, he served in his church, he played a lot of golf – he led, he gave, he had fun. But most of all he loved. He loved his precious Mimi so much that he married her twice. And he never grew tired of telling anyone who would listen that he could remember the very day that Mimi (8 years his junior) was born. He loved his three children. He gave them priceless gifts of humor and humility, all the while ensuring that they knew and appreciated the greatest gift of family. He loved Highlands, N.C., where he greeted the cool air like an old friend. He loved the dinner table where the hand-held blessing was a genuine, but short-lived, courtesy to the forthcoming debate about what was wrong with the world. He loved looking to the end of the table and raising a glass to toast his beloved Mimi. He loved Saturday night square dances at Helen’s Barn in Highlands where he traded in his blue blazer for bluegrass and uninhibited fun. He loved memories and sharing them with his children and grandchildren not only as evidence of the ties that bind, but also as keys to their future. He loved the Advent Episcopal Day School and the Emmet O’Neal library. And he worked tirelessly to raise money on behalf of both institutions, which represented what mattered so much to him – the pursuit of learning and education. He stood tall, he knew what he believed in, and he loved his family. They loved him back, very much. Should we all be so lucky.
Bill lived in Birmingham, Alabama his whole life. He was born November 9, 1931, in the Great Depression and held tightly the lessons learned from that time. He attended Mountain Brook Elementary School and was graduated from Ramsay High School in 1950. In 1954, he was graduated from the University of the South, Sewanee where he was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. From 1954-1957, he served in the United States Air Force as a navigator on a B-36 bomber.
After the Air Force, he joined his father and uncle at Tynes Brothers, as a manufacturer’s representative. He later founded Tynes & Company, in 1963 where he worked for more than 50 years representing numerous foundries, particularly Texas Foundries and Glidewell Specialties Foundry.
He married Emily Symington Wilson “Mimi” in 1961. Bill was a member of the Cathedral Church of the Advent, serving as Senior Warden in 1990. He was the President of the Board of the Advent Episcopal Day School from 1989 to 2013. Bill frequently called it the best school in the state. Bill was a member of The Rotary Club of Birmingham. He was a member of The Redstone Club, was its president in 1983, and served as its worthy scribe for 35 years, writing the weekly letter which entertained all and skewered many.
From 1988 to 1996, he served on the Mountain Brook City Council. Prior to that, he served on the Board of Zoning Adjustment and planning commission. Bill served on the Mountain Brook Library Foundation Board from 2000-2008 and was its chairman from 2003-2008. Bill was an avid golfer and cherished his golfing friends. He was a member of the Country Club of Birmingham, serving on its board from 1990 to 2000, and played golf with the Two-Bit Dogfight. Bill was also a member of Highlands Country Club (NC), where he hosted an annual golf trip for 48 years. He loved the time he and Mimi spent in Highlands with friends and family, and often raised a toast to his mother for building Tynes Pines in 1947.
He was preceded in death by his parents, William Doric Tynes III, and Carolyn Shields Tynes. He is survived by his wife, Emily Wilson Tynes, his children, Frank Wilson Tynes (Claire), Lula Tynes Skowronek (Craig), and William Shields Tynes (Kelley), his sister, Carolyn Tynes Cowan, his brother, Dr. Bayard Shields Tynes, and his grandchildren, Helen Claire Tynes, Frank Wilson Tynes, Jr., Walter Proulx Skowronek, Emily Wilson Skowronek, Amelia Wilson Tynes, David Covington Tynes, and Lila Kathryne Tynes, all of Birmingham. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to The Advent Episcopal School, or the Friends of Emmet O’Neal Library. A memorial service will be held Thursday, October 18th at 2:00 p.m. at the Cathedral Church of the Advent with a visitation at 1:00 p.m.
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