William James Maxwell Jr.

William “Bill” James Maxwell, Jr. of Williamsburg, VA, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, September 23, 2023 at the age of 67. He was born the son of William James “Red” and Adelaide Caldwell (Butler) Maxwell on October 30, 1955 in Florence, SC.

Bill will be deeply missed by his loving wife of 44 years, Susan Beth “Beth” (nee Smithwick) Maxwell; his dear sons, William James “Jim” (Elizabeth) Maxwell III of Garner, NC and Walter “Allen” (Nichole) Maxwell of Raleigh, NC; his loving grandchildren, Elliott, Madelyn, William IV, Georgia, Caroline, and James; and his faithful canine companion Mae.

Bill is further survived by his stepmother, Clara Maxwell and siblings Charles (Barbara) Maxwell of Georgetown, SC, Adelaide (George) Grattan of Williamsburg, VA, Ainslie (Jeff) Reynolds of Ft. Myers, FL, Betsy (Tom) Pierce of Charlotte, NC, Susan (Ken) Pearson of Charlotte, NC, and Cathy (Mike) Herndon of Lexington, SC. He is preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Mary Graham.

Bill met the love of his life, Beth, at Francis Marion College in 1974 where he graduated with a degree in Business Administration in 1978. He was a proud member of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. Bill and Beth went on to marry on November 17, 1979 in Florence, SC and moved to Williamsburg, VA where they started their family. Eventually Bill began a successful career as a Sales Manager at Branscome Inc. for over 30 years. Affectionately known to many as “Big B,” Bill earned the nickname from friends of Allen and Jim whom he mentored throughout their high school and college years. Big B was an avid hunter and fisherman who treasured spending time with his family and especially his sons and grandchildren whether it be at their hunting property, Turkey Hill, or their second home on the North Carolina beach. He, Beth, and the boys were dedicated Clemson and Virginia Tech fans.

Friends may visit from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 28 at Nelsen Funeral Home, 3785 Strawberry Plains Rd., Williamsburg, VA. The funeral service for Bill will be on Friday, September 29 at 11:00 a.m. at Williamsburg Community Chapel, 3899 John Tyler Hwy, Williamsburg, VA.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Bill’s name may be offered to the schools of his grandchildren: Elliott/Madelyn - Oak City Academy, 1100 Benson Rd., Garner, NC 27529; Caroline/James - Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School, 2718 Overbrook Dr., Raleigh, NC 27608.