William (Bill) Swepston Overton III was born in Salisbury, North Carolina in 1934. He was the oldest of three boys, and he and his brothers Frank and Jim called each other BO, FO, and JO for over 80 years. They grew up in Salisbury, and by all accounts, Bill led the charge in keeping their
neighborhood lively.

Bill attended Princeton University, graduating in the Class of 1956. His education was made possible by a Navy scholarship. He studied engineering and then served four years in the Navy after graduation.

While stationed overseas, Bill met Wilma MacDonald, a Scottish woman on vacation in Spain. They later married and had five children: Lindsay and her twin sister Karen (who passed shortly after birth), Kendall, Tracy, and William Swepston Overton IV. Bill's early career was with
Procter & Gamble, which took the family from Norfolk to Cincinnati, Augusta, Toronto, and finally Memphis.

After leaving P&G, Bill joined ECS, a textile manufacturing company in rural Tennessee. He became head of sales and eventually bought the company, serving as its CEO for many years. Later in life, when Bill proposed marriage to Toni Kelly, and she said yes, he was so happy that
he thought his heart was "flying up to the sky". He was devoted to her for 40 years until her passing in 2022. Toni had a daughter, Tricia, whom Bill treated as one of his own. During this second chapter of life, Bill and Toni were very involved in the horse world. He and Toni owned
Tennessee Walking Horses, hired trainers, and participated in horse shows. Bill always said he wouldn't enter a show in which Toni was competing, because he didn't want to get beaten!

Bill had six grandchildren: Will Overton V, Georgia Overton, Ender Kerr, Julia Kerr, Wesley Barrentine and Matt Barrentine.

Spending his last few years in Santa Rosa Beach, he was well-cared for by the staff of Somerby and Emerald Coast Hospice, and his grandson Will and son William. He died at the age of 91, having stayed true to himself throughout his life, and the people who knew him will remember
him for just that.

So here's to a life that was richly and unapologetically lived.
From BO to CEO, from sailor to dad,
To horseman, grandfather — oh, what a path he had.
Now rest, Bill Overton, your voyage is done,
But your stories sail on in each daughter and son.

Memorialization will be by cremation.