William "Bill" Richard North

To the end William Richard "Bill" North was exactly where he most wanted to be - on the water, surrounded by friends, and participating in a sailing regatta. He passed away June 28, 2026 at Logan MartinLake while helping run sailboat races.

Bill was born July 26, 1961 in Columbia, Tennessee to Henry Hiram and Thadis Wiggins North and lived there until moving to Montgomery, Alabama at age 5. He was a 1979 graduate of St. James High School in Montgomery and went on to Auburn University, where he was awarded a BA in Political Science in 1983. Bill received his JD from Cumberland School of Law in 1986, joining the Alabama Bar shortly thereafter. After brief stints clerking and working at a small Montgomery law firm Bill followed his passion for legal justice into a criminal defense partner-ship before crossing the aisle to join the Bessemer, Alabama District Attorney’s office. Bill served as an Assistant District Attorney for almost 30 years and was looking forward to retirement at the end of this year. He is remembered by his coworkers and the greater law enforce-ment community for his kindness, intelligence and wit, as a lawyer of the highest integrity and a dedicated public servant committed to helping others. Bill enjoyed sharing his knowledge, mentoring young attorneys, guiding interns and lecturing in criminal justice courses at the University of Alabama.

Ever curious, Bill was a voracious reader and known to all who loved him as a font of useless trivia. He loved rock and roll music and its history, cycling and he especially enjoyed sailing, having served as commodore of both the Dixie Sailing Club and Birmingham Sailing Club. Bill served in the vestry at All Saints Episcopal Church and worked with the Boy Scouts as his sons came up through that program. He was exceptionally proud of his sons both having recently completed doctoral studies, Fletcher in biomedical science at Auburn University and Will in dentistry at UAB.

Bill was preceded in death by his father, Henry North, and is survived by his mother, Thadis North, his brother Steven (Louise) North, his two sons James Fletcher North and William Treadway North and their mother, Elizabeth Treadway Bruton, niece Anna Laurence North, nephew Thaddeus Ross North, and his two best friends, Lara Bush Butler and Woody the cat.

Services will be held at All Saints Episcopal Church in Homewood, Alabama July 17 at 2:30 PM with a reception following at the church.

In lieu of flowers donations are encouraged to any of the Cumberland School of Law’s charitable initiatives.