Bill Barfield

George William “Bill” Barfield, Sr., of Newberry, died Thursday, January 8, 2009, at the age of 75. Bill was born in East Orange, New Jersey on April 28, 1933. He was the son of the late George Andrew and Frances Ione Smith Barfield.

Bill served in Germany during the Korean Conflict. He was a sergeant in the U.S. Air Force. He retired from the S.C. Tax Commission after 30 years of service. He was a member of the Forest Acres Masonic Lodge. Bill, with his wife Joan, were active volunteers for the Meals on Wheels program for the past 10 years. They spent many hours visiting and comforting patients and friends in the Newberry Hospital and surrounding nursing homes.

He leaves to cherish his precious memory his wife and soul mate of 54 years, Joan; his children, Elaine “Beth” Tankersley and her husband, Jerry and George William “Billy” Barfield, Jr.; grandchildren, Larry and Pennie Tankersley, Ashleigh and Will Speaks and Andrew and Ally Tankersley; great-grandchildren, Amanda, Madison, Rhys and Gauge.

Funeral services will be held at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, January 11, 2009 at Lewis Memorial United Methodist Church by the Rev. Bruce Palmer. The family will be at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. John Rucker, 2213 Main Street, Newberry, SC and will receive friends from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. Saturday at McSwain-Evans Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to Lewis Memorial United Methodist church, 1105 First Street, Newberry, SC 29108 or to the church of your choice.

Bill was a smart, good, honest, kind and compassionate man who loved God, his family, and his many, many friends. The essence of a man is proven only by the man’s friends and Bill never met a stranger. He would do anything for anyone. He was humorous and could be counted on to always come up with a good joke, or to find the funny side of any situation.

He was generous and would give you the shirt off his back or his last dime. His accomplishments were many, but the legacy he leaves is simply that he was a great man.

He walked among us and loved each and every one of us.