Obituary: William R. Timmons

William Richarson Timmons Greenville, SC William R. Timmons, Jr., Chairman of the Board of Canal Insurance Company and The South Financial Group, passed away December 31, 2005 at ConTimplEight, his home that he loved dearly. He was born in Greenville, SC March 1, 1924, the son of William Richardson Timmons and Eva McDonald Timmons. He grad-uated from Greenville High School and entered the Uni-versity of South Carolina. During his sophomore year, he was drafted into the Army Air Corps and learned to fly the B-24 Liberator. Because of his ability, he was ordered to First Pilots School and then to Instructors School. After Instructors School, he spent several years teaching pilots to fly the B-24. He transitioned to the B-29 Super Fortress and was ordered to the Pacific Theatre, but he was stricken with polio and was sent to the Army Navy Hospital in Hot Springs, Arkansas where he spent two years recuperating. He was awarded the American Campaign Medal and the Victory Medal and retired as a Captain. While in Hot Springs, he met and later married Corinne "Connie" Jackson who was a nurse in Hot Springs. Upon his return to Greenville, he entered Furman University. In 1948, his father was killed in an auto accident and Bill left Furman to work in the family business, Canal Insurance Company. Through the leadership of Bill and his brother, Charles, Canal grew into a nationwide P&C insurance company with more than 240 employees while still being a family owned business. Bill served as Chairman of Canal Insurance Company and of Central Realty Corporation and of several other family owned businesses. He was a founding director of Southern Bank and Trust. He was also a founding director of Carolina First Bank and had been serving as the Chairman of the Board of The South Financial Group. He was a trustee emeritus of Furman University. He served on the Board of Furman for six five year terms including stints as vice-chairman and chairman of the board. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree, the Bell Tower Award and the Alumni Service Award from Furman. He and his late wife, Connie, were also elect-ed to the Furman Athletic Hall of Fame and they received a distinguished service award from the Southern Conference. Bill and Connie were lifelong supporters of Furman. Besides generous scholarship support, they contributed notably to the success of the annual LPGA Pro-Am golf tournament held on the Furman golf course. In 1998, he and his now deceased sister and brother, Jean T. Pelham and Charles M. Timmons, made the lead gift for the Timmons Arena, Furman Basketball's home. He was a lifelong member of First Baptist Church of Greenville and has served as deacon, chair of the fund-raising committee for the new sanctuary and chair of the finance committee. He had served on the board of the Chamber of Commerce, as President of the Sertoma Club and on the boards of several charities including the United Fund, now the United Way. William Timmons is survived by eight children, Sydney M. Timmons, Tracy T. Hardaway, and husband, Charles, William R. Timmons, III and wife, Pat, Scott T. Hipp and husband, Neel, Steve J. Timmons and wife, Cris, of Greenville, Dru James, and husband, Ennis, of Greenwood, SC, Christie Mullen and husband, John, of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Ashley Lee, and husband, Larry, of Charlotte, NC. He had 23 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Grandchildren include, Chad Hardaway and wife, Lisa, Todd Hardaway and wife, Misty, Eric and Robert Hardaway, Leslie and Ennis James, Brittany, William and Cliff Timmons, Neel, Corie, Timmons and Will Hipp, Patrick, Mary and Tom Mullen, Jackson, Clayton and Hamilton Timmons, Carley, Rebekah, Christie, and Rachel Lee. He was predeceased by his wife, Corinne Jackson Timmons; his brother, Charles M. Timmons; and his sister, Jean T. Pelham. The family will be at ConTimplEight, 50 Cherry Laurel Court, Monday afternoon and evening, January 2, to receive friends. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, January 3rd, 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church with burial to follow in Woodlawn Memorial Park with military honors. Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church, Greenville, S.C. or Furman University.