COLUMBIA - A memorial service to celebrate the life of William Edward Antley, 56, will begin at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, December 15, 2018 at Spring Valley Baptist Church, 91 Polo Road, Columbia, SC 29223. Officiating will be Pastor Robert Winburn, Minister of Music, Rick McCollum, and the Tony McDuffie Sunday School Class. Visitation will be the hour after the service.
Bill was born March 16, 1962, at Seymour Johnson AFB Hospital in Goldsboro, N.C. He died unexpectedly on November 20, 2018, at his home in Columbia. Bill’s father, Edward Ansel Antley, preceded him in death. He is survived by his mother, Sarah “Sallie” Marsh (Antley) of West Columbia; his brother, Stephen Antley (Maryann) of Parker Heights, Texas; sister, Lauren A. Crooks of Lexington; nephews, Edward and Forrest Crooks; niece, Hannah Antley; nephew, Cody Antley (Eliza) and grand-niece, Bronwen Rose Antley; numerous loved and respected uncles, aunts and cousins; Carol and her children, Doug, Melissa and Ian, who had Bill in their lives for many years.
Bill attended Lower Richland High School, graduating in 1979. He earned his B.A. in Media Arts from the University of South Carolina in 1982. He attended Midlands Tech for certification and licensing in Heating and Air Conditioning. Other certifications include Liebart Factory Service Tech, Stulz Air Technology System, Trane, Carrier and ICP. His resume included training and experience for HVACR, Electrical, Plumbing, and Carpentry. He was most recently employed by Target Distribution Center in Lugoff as a maintenance tech. Bill also worked for CMS Mechanical Services, Walker-White Mechanical, Dixie Heat and Air, Williams Mechanical Corps., Atlantic Coast Mechanical, and ARS Services, Inc. Early employment included ETV on Millwood, Macy’s on Main, Fuddruckers Restaurant in Irmo, If It’s Paper, and self-employment as a photographer. Health was often a factor for the job changes. Bill was well known as qualified and responsible on the job, no matter what it was.
Bill was a member of Temple Baptist Church from an early age into college years, Shandon Baptist Church, College Fellowship groups, and Northeast Presbyterian Church after marriage and moving to Northeast Columbia. There he was a member of the choir and the orchestra. Most recently, he was a member of Spring Valley Baptist Church, attended Sunday School and played the trumpet in the orchestra. He loved church all of his life.
Affiliated with theatres in the Midlands, Bill worked behind the scenes and performed. At Town Theatre in Columbia, roles included Ensemble/Ishmaelite in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” Traveling Salesman/Constable Locke in “The Music Man,” Ensemble in “Miss Saigon,” Carlson in “Of Mice of Men,” and Expedition Porter in “Tarzan, The Musical.” Other roles in cluded Bob Cratchit in “Once Upon a Christmas Time,” with St. Paul’s Players in Columbia; Red Ryder in “A Christmas Story,” Kershaw Fine Arts Center in Camden; Thomas Hayden in “Seven Keys to Baldpate,” Macduff in “Macbeth” and Gravedigger/Player King in “Hamlet,” Stage 5 Theatre in Columbia; and Mr. Smiley/Cecil in “Who Killed the Boss,” Theatre Rowe in Columbia. Serious, funny, sometimes hilarious, that he was.
He was a photographer of his own ambition, learning the “darkroom” and printing process from his father. Later he enlarged his own photos and exhibited these in locations around Columbia. He studied portrait photography with lighting, backdrops and borrowed props and was the temporary photographer for K-Mart’s Portrait Studios for one year. With the permission of Mrs. Lewis, librarian at Crayton Middle School, he set up and opened the darkroom again and assisted his mother’s students as they produced prints, the photos taken with “pin-hole” cameras they made in club activity period.
Through church activities, employment, the family and neighborhood, Bill got to know many people. He showed deep respect for others and valued his friendships. He loved to talk about his interests to anyone who listened.
Very special times included being a big brother to Steve and Laurie; saluting and being at attention, learning about B-52’s, the work of his military father. Together they built model classic cars, watched “Batman and Robin” on TV and shared auto mechanics and repairs so one day, he could fix a flat and make repairs on his own. As it was, he made repairs most of his life on his cars and those of others, and whatever else needed maintenance. Bill was an avid reader from childhood on - a scout in his mother’s “den” and his father’s “troop.” He built and launched rockets, rode dirt bikes, and navigated sailboats on Weston Lake with his brother, Steve. He spent hours completing a photoshoot of Laurie in different outfits and making the copies. Bill traveled the East Coast as a teen with family and later ventured out West. He hunted with his buddies and spent quiet time in his canoe or fishing from his other small boat. Bill had no children of his own, but had a gentle, playful way with those of others. He always had smiles and hugs for his grandmothers, and spent much time with each.
Bill became a juvenile diabetic at age six. He “fought” his condition most of his life and occasionally had to be rescued - by his mother, a teacher, a scout leader, a doctor, EMS attendants, employer, his sister. There may have been others. Please know that Bill really lived his life – in spite of complications. He enjoyed so much. In a last visit and telephone conversations with his mother, there was so much more he talked about wanting to do. He had hope. He wanted to live without restriction. If you knew him through school, church, work, family, or other way, know also he appreciated any kindness, attention or time spent and you were his friend because of it. His family is grateful.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are requested to be made to Juvenile Diabetes Research; one of his churches: Spring Valley Baptist, Northeast Presbyterian, Shandon Baptist, or Temple Baptist, or charity of one’s choice.
Memories may be shared at www.dunbarfunerals.com.
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