Brince Rayburn Wilford

Brince Rayburn Wilford, born on April 17, 1968, passed away peacefully in his home in Nashville, Tennessee, on June 28, 2026. Born in Pensacola, Florida, Brince grew up along the Atlantic coast of the state and graduated from Melbourne High School in 1986.

He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Furman University in 1990 where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity. Following graduation, he lived and worked in Tupelo, Mississippi, and in Memphis, Tennessee, before permanently relocating to Nashville for a work opportunity in 1993. He met his wife, Holly, in 2008 at West End Community Church and married that same year.

In 1999, Brince founded Covenant Capital Management with his business partner Scot Billington. Brince considered his working relationship with Scot to be one of life’s gifts, and their partnership continued for 27 years. Brince was also involved with many other companies in a variety of fields. He had an entrepreneur’s spirit and saw success in healthcare, real estate, and finance, but his proudest accomplishment was his role as a husband, father, and friend.

Having prioritized his career before having a family of his own, Brince was free to drive his children to school every morning, show up for every school event, and be at home in the evenings for dinner and to help with homework. He delighted in being the dad of George and Sloane and was so gratified by the people they are becoming. They were his favorite people. Nevertheless, he also loved his friends exceptionally well. Despite being active in his church and involved in several Bible studies and prayer groups, as well as participating in a book club—affectionately designated “the men’s literary guild”—Brince always sought to make himself available to anyone who wanted to spend time with him. He was loyal and discreet with confidences, yet was always fun to be around, offering a quick smile, dry wit, and ready laugh. He delighted in the role of consigliere and was a valued mentor to many. The final season of his life was a master class in the art of giving his death away in order to be a blessing to others. He passed away with a strong faith and the certainty of his eternal destination with his Lord.

He is survived by his wife of seventeen years, Holly Lennon Wilford, and his children, George Rayburn Wilford and Sloane Elizabeth Wilford. Brince is preceded in death by his mother, Annice Raye Jernigan Wilford of Dalton, Georgia, and is survived by his father, Ned Brince Wilford (Dianne Rhodes) of Melbourne, Florida; as well as his sisters, Shanna Wilford Nichols (wife of the late Jeff Nichols) of Atlanta, Georgia, Kerrie Wilford Harless (Brian) of Nashville, Tennessee, and Shannon Rhodes Hill (Greg) of Nashville, Tennessee, as well as many beloved nieces and nephews.

Visitation hours will be held on Friday, July 24, 2026 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., with a celebration of life service honoring Brince at Christ Presbyterian Church, 2323 Old Hickory Blvd, Nashville, TN 37215 at 2 p.m. A private reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to Daystar Counseling Ministries, for youth and family counseling, https://www.daystarcounseling.com or UpRise Nashville for career development, https://www.uprisenashville.org/give. The family is grateful for the prayers and support our community have given, both while Brince was battling cancer and in the days since his passing.