William Horace Hampton

Bill was born in Dickson County Tennessee on September 16th, 1936 to Floyd and Irene Hampton. He was the tenth of twenty two children in the Hampton family. He was raised on a farm and had an upbringing that would shape his character as a man devoted to service and love of family.

As an early teen, Bill left the farm to try and earn money to help support his family and wound up in Minnesota with an older brother and there he stayed until he joined the United States Nave. In the Navy, he served on the heavy cruiser USS Salem in the Mediterranean Fleet. After his Navy service, he spent time in the Galveston area of Texas before permanently relocating to Nashville Tennessee.

It was in Nashville that Bill met his future wife, Nancy Elizabeth Jordan. After their marriage, the two of them started their careers. Bill as a firefighter with the City of Nashville, and Nancy as a nurse at St. Thomas Hospital. Bill’s career with the fire Department would last 34 years from 1962 until his retirement in 1996. He achieved the rank of Deputy Fire Marshall and also during that time received an accommodation for saving a life in the line of duty. While he was on the fire department, he established a family legacy that included, two sons, three brothers, three nephews, one great nephew, one granddaughter, one son in law and one brother in law, all joining the fire service.

Bill took great pride in being a person you could come to in a time of need. He would listen, support and aid in everyone’s wellbeing. He is beloved by his family and friends for his selfless loyalty and he did it unconditionally.

Bills Greatest joy were his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. He never missed a birthday, holiday, family gathering or vacation opportunity. It was expected that he had an open invitation to all special occasions and he never failed to demonstrate how much his family and friends meant to him. It wasn’t a Hampton get together without Bill.

Bill was blessed to have met Philippa Everett and after a courtship of several years they were married in 2014. For the past ten years they have had a wonderful life together.

Bill is preceded in death by his wife Nancy Jordan Hampton, daughter Nancy Lynn Hampton Ligon, parents Floyd and Irene Hampton and siblings Edward, Effie Mae, Aileen, Frank, Mary Lillian, Martha, Ward, Nell, Dorothy, Mildred and Linda.

Bill is survived by his sons, Gordon (Lynn), Martin (Cecelia) and Darren (Betty) Hampton. Also, granddaughters, Andrea, (Joseph) LeRay, Haley (Brett) Beeler, Chloe (Josh) Drake, Sarah Hampton, Anna (Troy) Reynolds and Emma Hampton. Great grandchildren, Palmer and Jennings Beeler, Salem Reynolds, Eveline Leray and Harper Drake. Siblings, Graham, Roy, Hester, Robert, Lynn, Glynn, Kathren, Charles, William and Jean.

Pall bearers for the funeral procession will be friends and family members on the Nashville Fire Department, Toby Baker, Brian Baker, Richard Tubbs, Will Wilson, Patrick Stephens, Tyler Hampton and Troy Reynolds.

Honorary pall bearers are family members, Roy Hampton, Robert Hampton, Lynn Hampton, Glynn Hampton, Charles Hampton, William Hampton and Terry Heald.

There will be a visitation on Tuesday, September 10th from 5:00pm – 8:00pm and a Celebration of Life with visitation on Wednesday, September 11th from 11:00am – 1:00pm with a service and burial beginning at 1:00pm at Woodlawn-Roesch Patton Funeral Home and Memorial Park, 660 Thompson Lane, Nashville TN, 37024.