Billy Donald Statham

Mr. Billy Donald Statham, 81 of Marietta, GA passed away on October 18, 2012. He was born to the late Winfred Hubert and Myrtle Garmon Statham on May 25, 1931 in Rockmart, GA. After his graduation from Rockmart High School he joined the United States Navy serving before and during the Korean War. While in stationed in Jacksonville, FL in 1951 he met and married his late wife, Crystal Ann Thompson Statham. Though out their life together, he had a deep love and devotion for Chris until her departure in 1999. After leaving the Navy, Bill worked with the space program in Cape Canaveral, FL as an electronics technician. In the late 1950’s, they moved to Marietta and while working at Lockheed he began his career in nuclear sciences. Bill joined the staff at Georgia Tech in 1965 to work in the Nuclear Engineering department. In 1971 he graduated from Southern Technical Institute and later that year he and Dave Walker founded Applied Physical Technology. Together they grew the company into a supplier of sophisticated radiation monitoring systems for nuclear reactors throughout the world and sold their company to Nuclear Data in 1981. He left GA Tech to work with Nuclear Data for three years and then returned to GA Tech in 1985 working at GTRI. Bill eventually returned to the Nuclear Engineering department as the Director of Reactor Operations and retired in 1993 and continued to work part time until 2007. Outside of his career, Bill loved to play golf, he spent much time traveling the world with his wife and friends. Bill and Chris also made many lifelong friends through square dancing and camping. Bill began his life with humble beginnings in Rockmart, GA and never lost humility as a trait throughout his life. As a professional, he had brilliant capabilities in both nuclear and electrical engineering. His wife and parents preceded Bill in death. Bill is survived by his sons, Kenneth Roy Statham and his wife Robbie Crossland, and Mitchell Alan Statham and his wife Iris Links Statham, and grandchildren Zachary Sutton Statham and Alison Michelle Statham. In his later years after the passing of Chris, Bill found a companion in Betty Hames also of Marietta, GA. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, October 20, 2012 in the chapel of H.M. Patterson & Son Canton Hill at 11:00am. Interment will follow at 2:00pm at Prospect Baptist Church Cemetery in Rockmart, GA. The visitation was held on Friday, October 19, 2012 from 7:00-9:00pm at H.M. Patterson & Son Canton Hill, Marietta, GA.