William "Bill" Leroy Jones, 82, of Anderson, SC passed away on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, surrounded by his loving family.  Bill was born in Ithaca, NY on July 31, 1943, the oldest son of Dr. Dean Graeme and Dr. Emma Josephine Brown Jones.

He spent his formative years in Sycamore, IL and graduated from Sycamore High School in 1961. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Forest Production from the University of Illinois followed by his Master's degree in Forest Biometrics from the University of Georgia where he met his first wife of 43 years, Anne Stowe Jones. He and his current wife, Sharon Jones, were happily married in December of 2013, and lived in Anderson, SC.

After graduation, Bill worked at UGA for 36 years in the Financial Information Systems department. He was an avid Bulldawgs fan enjoying football, basketball, gymnastics and baseball. His hobbies included: square dancing, Duplicate Bridge, cruising and trips across the US. He volunteered at Piedmont Athens Regional and officiated high school football and basketball. He was a member of the Christian Homebuilders Sunday School class and was one of Bread Burners / "Spaghetti Guys" at Milledge Avenue Baptist Church.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Dean and Josephine Jones, brother David James Jones (Ithaca, NY), sister-in-law Judith L Gephart Jones (Pine Village, IN) and his first wife Sue Anne Stowe Jones (Athens, GA).

He is survived by his wife Sharon, of Anderson; his daughter, Stephanie, of Athens, GA; his son, Andy and daughter-in-law, Becca, of Wilmington, NC; his grandchildren, Nadia, Lydia, Julia and Oliver, of Wilmington, NC; his brother, Joseph, of Pine Village, IN; his sister, Mary Ann Jones Mitchell (Grant), of Marietta, GA and his sister-in-law, Lucia, of Ithaca, NY and numerous sisters and brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews.

The funeral service will be held on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, at 11:00 am at The McDougald Funeral Home Chapel with Dr. Nathan Byrd officiating. A gathering of family and friends will follow the service at The McDougald Family Center.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to American Heart Association PO Box 840692, Dallas, TX 75284-0692; Milledge Ave Baptist Church 1690 S Milledge Ave, Athens, GA 30605; WARM NC 6737 Amsterdam Way, Wilmington, NC 28405.

Condolences may be left for the family by visiting WWW.MCDOUGALDFUNERALHOME.COM.