W.H. "Billy" Rhame, Jr

HOLLY HILL - Wilton Henry Rhame, Jr., known as Billy to his friends, Daddy to his children and Poppop to his grands, was born on November 30, 1926 and died on February 12, 2016 after a life well lived and enjoyed. He was proud to have been born on the same day as the great Winston Churchill. A third generation resident of Holly Hill, SC, Billy Rhame was especially proud of his family, the town of Holly Hill, First Baptist Church of Holly Hill, and his alma mater, The Citadel, from which he graduated in 1948 after serving in the Merchant Marines in the waning months of World War II. His wife of 67 years is Juanita Way Rhame with whom he shared love of food, travel, enjoyment of friends, and the building of their home on Camden Road. His children are daughter Syd and her husband Don Janney of Atlanta, GA and son Wilton Henry "Hank" Rhame III and his wife, Donna of Cameron, SC. Grandchildren are Taylor and Camden Janney and Savannah, Will, and Madison Rhame. Faithful employees L. D. Clark and Jannie Mae Gillard are like family. Special thanks go to caregivers Kiera Whaley and Mamie Fogle who provided attentive healthcare assistance during Billy Rhame's final years. Like his father and grandfather before him, Billy Rhame was a long-time farmer who planted cotton, corn, soybeans, and other cash crops. His later business ventures included Mother Nature Nursery, a small nursery and landscape maintenance company. He was a faithful member of First Baptist Church of Holly Hill, serving as member of the sanctuary building committee, deacon, and active member of the Adult Men's Sunday School class. He contributed the plantings for the church's rose garden and provided landscape services to the church for many years. Billy Rhame was a founding member of the Holly Hill Country Club, on the founding committee of Holly Hill Academy, coordinator of the Holly Hill Centennial Celebration in 1987, member of the South Carolina Agricultural Society, and member of The Pond men's supper club, as well as other men's social and civic clubs throughout his life. Having started jogging in the 1960's before it was widely practiced as a form of exercise, he successfully walked the 50 miles to Charleston on his 50th birthday in 1976. He loved his hound dog Gladys and dogs of all stripes, good times and Early Times, thought himself a master of making white catfish stew, and took great pleasure in the company of friends and family. He counted himself a lucky man. Contributions to honor the memory of Billy Rhame may be made to First Baptist Church of Holly Hill, PO Box 235, Holly Hill, SC 29059. A celebration of the life of Billy Rhame will be held on Monday, February 15, at 3:00 pm in First Baptist Church of Holly Hill with Rev. Marshall Locke officiating. A reception will follow in the church Social Hall. Avinger Funeral Home is assisting the family. www.avingerfh.com