William "Bill" Charles Garvin

Bill was born on February 21, 1946, in Atlanta, Georgia, to Eugenia Hooper and Benjamin Russell Garvin. He spent his youth in the south—from New Orleans to Memphis and eventually to Jacksonville, Florida where he attended Terry Parker High School and met his future wife, Carol Wilson. Bill attended Florida State University where he was a proud member of Sigma Nu Fraternity and graduated with a BA in English in 1968.

Carol and Bill were married in August, 1966, and moved to Miami where their son, William Charles Garvin, Jr. was born in 1970. Bill’s 21-year career with Genuine Parts Company (Napa Auto Parts) brought many adventures for their family, moving them from Miami to New Orleans, where their daughter Amy Melissa was born in 1974, and eventually seeing them to Tampa, where their last child, Molly Elizabeth was born in 1980. Bill continued his career with GPC through moves to Columbus, Ohio, and Memphis, Tennessee, before finally deciding to hang up his Napa hat in 1990 and move home to Tallahassee, launching his second career as the proud owner of Insty-Prints. In 2002, Bill was blessed by his “Second Chance,” marrying Suzanne Young at their home.

Bill was a longstanding member of Kiwanis Club and former Elder of Christ Presbyterian Church. He was an enthusiastic, if struggling, fisherman, and was at his happiest piloting the Eugenia H. out of Alligator Point for K-Tower early Saturday mornings. When he wasn’t fishing, or golfing, he was cheering on the Florida State Seminoles, unless they were losing, in which case he could be found mowing the yard in frustration. He had a lovely lawn in the 2000s.

More than anything, Bill loved his family, who were the joys of his life. He was their biggest cheerleader, their problem-solver, their grill master, their handyman, their advocate, and their safest place. He was larger than life, witty, silly, funny, sharp, tender, and constant. His loss is devastating.

Bill is survived by his loving wife and best friend, Suzanne, his brother, Russell, his three children, Billy (Wendy) Garvin, Amy (Alain) Rodgers, and Molly (Bryan) Griffith, his stepdaughter, Stacy Welch, and his beautiful grandchildren Ben, Zach, Addison, Trenton, Cash, Hadley, Dax, and Joni. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Carol, his parents, Ben and Gene, and his son-in-law, Andy Welch.

A Celebration of Life for Bill will be held Friday, September 6, 2024 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Christ Presbyterian Church, 2317 Bannerman Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32312. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Big Bend Hospice.