William Gray Sizemore

William Gray (Bill) Sizemore, 93, of Twin Lakes Community in Burlington, died on January 23, 2015. A self-made man, Bill was a loving husband, father, and grandfather, a friend, and a well-respected businessman. He is survived by Helen, his wife of 66 years; his sons Ed Sizemore of Cary and Stephen Sizemore (Patricia Barnes) of Chapel Hill, his daughter Beverly Sizemore (Chris Walker) of Chapel Hill; and his granddaughters Erin and Dana Walker.

Bill was born in Richmond, VA to John Edward and Lizzie Pittard Sizemore and raised in Clarksville, VA. He attended Randolph-Macon Academy and Washington & Lee University, where he was Student Body President and a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society and Sigma Nu fraternity. He accelerated his studies to graduate in 1943 and immediately join the U.S. Navy. Following 90 days of officer training at Midshipmen’s School at Northwestern University, Bill proudly served his country in World War II as Ensign and Lieutenant on ships in the North Atlantic and the Pacific, circumnavigating the globe twice.

On returning home to Clarksville, Bill started Clarksville Motor Company, was elected to two terms as Virginia’s youngest mayor, married Helen, and started a family. In 1956, he joined Wachovia Bank and worked at its NC offices in Burlington, Asheville, and Greensboro before serving in Winston-Salem as Senior Vice-President of both Wachovia Bank and Wachovia Corporation, then as President of Wachovia Mortgage Company. On retiring in 1986, Bill provided business counseling for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court and SCORE. He was an avid tennis player and enjoyed traveling with Helen for many years before moving from Greensboro to Twin Lakes Community in 2009.

A funeral service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 31, at Hanes Lineberry North Elm Chapel, 515 North Elm Street, Greensboro, NC 27401.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Alzheimer’s Association, PO Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090 or Hospice & Palliative Care Center of Alamance-Caswell, 914 Chapel Hill Road, Burlington, NC 27215.

On-line condolences may be sent to www.haneslineberryfuneralhomes.com.