The world lost a great man on Wednesday, May 6, 2020. Hugh Will "Bill" Barrow of Carrollton, GA., left this world to be with his heavenly Father, having lived a full and blessed life.

Bill grew up in Bowdon, GA where, as a boy, he worked as the town paperboy, ran the projector at the Palace Theater and was Bowdon's first Eagle Scout. He met his first and only love, Bonnie, in the 8th grade when she moved to Bowdon from Smithville. He attended Emory University as a chemistry major before enlisting into the United States Navy during World War II. He served for two years as a Class P. Basic Engineer on the USS Hampton in the South Pacific and was honorably discharged in 1945. Upon his return to the United States, he found his Bonnie at nursing school at Emory University. They were soon married at the family home called the Barrow House in Bowdon, GA. Bill then resumed his college education and was graduated from Auburn University, majoring in Textile Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. He began his career with E.I DuPont de Nemours Company as a textile bench chemist then retired forty years later from a senior executive leadership position at the Dupont Company. He held and shared several chemistry, textile, and dye patents. Upon his retirement, he was able to pursue his true passion, which was working with his quarter and Tennessee walking horses, in pleasure riding, training, and breeding. Nothing gave him more joy than to participate in trail rides with his daughter, Rebecca, and to show off his beautiful horses. He did not even mind the occasional fractured ribs or separated shoulders incurred after a fall or two. He also enjoyed helping other horse lovers with any challenges they might be having with their animals and inviting them along on overnight trail rides, shows, competitions, and wagon train events.

Bill was active in multiple historical preservation movements, including those to preserve national battlefields, and took special interest in restoring and maintaining significant historical homes throughout Georgia. He spent many years researching Cobbs Legion, Company B, The Bowdon Volunteers, of which his great grandfather, James R. Barrow was a member, and published a book on that topic which has been widely received as a valuable research tool for Civil War historians. He has also been a guest lecturer at multiple historical society congresses regarding the methodology in researching ancestry, as he has been able to research and document both Barrow and Spruill lineages to 1400s and 1200s, respectively.

Bill was a member of the Carrollton First Methodist Church, (Adult Friendship Sunday School Class), an affiliate member of Victory United Methodist, American Legion, VFW, SCV, and SAR. He secured membership for his daughters into UDC, DAR, and into the Colonial Dames CDXVIIC historical societies.

He and Bonnie served as volunteers for many years at Tanner Memorial Hospital in Carrollton and at multiple genealogical, historical and preservation societies throughout Carrollton and Georgia.

Bill was a giver of his time to multiple causes and was generous as a philanthropist. Most significantly, Bill loved his family above all. He was an excellent teacher, mentor, provider, and coach to his four children. His goal was to ensure that each of his children had the home life, resources, and education that they needed to be successful and productive adults who could contribute back positively to society. His was a life that mattered, and he will be greatly missed.

He was preceded in death by his beautiful and beloved wife of 66 years, Bonnie Spruill Barrow; son, Judge Lew Spruill Barrow; daughter, Martha Rebecca Barrow; his parents, Hugh Witt and Virginia Trammell Barrow; sister, Jean Barrow Barr; and his brother, David "Buddy" Barrow.

A private, immediate-family only service will be held in Bowdon, GA at a later date.