BILL LOUDERMILK

PERRY – William Alex “Bill” Loudermilk, 74, died peacefully on Sunday, September 24, 2023. The family will receive friends on Tuesday, September 26, 2023, from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. in the sanctuary at First Baptist Church of Perry. Funeral Services will be held on Wednesday, September 27, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. at First Baptist Church of Perry with Dr. Jason Loudermilk and Reverend Mike Britt officiating. Interment will be in Evergreen Cemetery immediately following the service. Bill was born on February 27, 1949, in Birmingham, Alabama, to the late Charles W. and Dessie Loudermilk. He graduated from Walter F. George High School in Atlanta. Bill continued his education at Georgia Southern College, earning a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in Education. Mr. Loudermilk taught Industrial Arts at Perry High School for fourteen years and earned an Education Specialist’s degree at the University of Georgia. He was a master craftsman and loved training teenagers to properly handle the equipment while precisely creating special projects with wood, from small ornaments to larger pieces of furniture. In 1982, he was selected as the National AIASA Industrial Arts Teacher of the Year. He worked for two years as an Assistant Principal at Perry High School then was chosen to be the Director of Facilities for the Houston County Board of Education, which he did until he retired after thirty years of service. His experience with Houston County BOE allowed him the opportunity to serve as a Facilities Consultant with The Georgia Department of Education for ten years. For the past thirteen years, Bill has enjoyed being a Facility Planning Manager with Parrish Construction and was awarded the Top Gun Award. A man of dignity and integrity, Bill loved helping people. His children and grandchildren thought their “Daddy” and “Papa” could fix anything and solve all of their problems, which he usually persevered until such time as a solution was found. As a master craftsman, he enjoyed mentoring many friends through the woodworking process, always willing to help, patiently explaining, and often demonstrating best practices. He cheerfully helped other people do what they needed, often putting his own projects aside. Each year, Bill delighted in crafting a variety of Christmas ornaments to be sold for the Perry Historical Society at the annual Mistletoe Market. Bill adored his wife and set the example for his sons of being a wonderful husband and father. Together, he and Ellie traveled the world, exploring thirteen countries where they enjoyed different cultures and experiences. He would come home and adapt his own ways to include what he saw elsewhere and enjoyed sharing their adventures with family and friends through pictures. Bill always wanted everything that he handcrafted to tell a story. Bill loved the Lord, and he treasured every moment spent with his family. He was kind-hearted, generous, and a true Southern Gentleman. An active member of First Baptist Church of Perry, he taught an Adult Sunday School class. He formerly served on the Perry Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Directors, received the Perry Chamber of Commerce’s Seabie Hickson Community Service Award, and was currently serving on the Board of Directors for Perry Main Street. He will be dearly missed by all those who knew and loved him. Left to cherish the memories they made with Bill are his loving and devoted wife of fifty-five years, Ellie Loudermilk of Perry; his children, Jason Loudermilk (Courtney) of Powder Springs, Sherri Underwood (Chris) of Mineral Point, Wisconsin, and David Loudermilk (Sarah Beth) of Cumming; his grandchildren, Emma Loudermilk, Grant Loudermilk, Norah Loudermilk, Sallie Loudermilk, Kye Underwood, John David Loudermilk, Will Loudermilk, and Beth Anne Loudermilk; and a host of extended family members. Condolences for the family may be left in the online guestbook at www.watsonhunt.com. Watson-Hunt Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements.

Tributes

BILL LOUDERMILK

February 27, 1949 - September 24, 2023