Rev. Billy (Bill) Sosebee

Rev. Billy Floyd (Bill) Sosebee, age 83 of Chickadee Drive, Lexington passed away Wednesday March 11, 2020 at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

A celebration of his life will be held at New Hope Presbyterian Church  3:00 PM Sunday, March 15, 2020 with Revs. Brian Rummage, Randy Hall,  Dr. Ray Howell, III and Dr. Dearl Bunce officiating.  No visitation will be held.

Bill was the only child born, August 15, 1936 to Floyd H. and Lila Jordan Sosebee in Anderson, SC. He was named Floyd after his father, and Billy because his parents liked it and did not want a junior.

In 1954 he graduated from McCants Boy’s High School in Anderson, SC. He graduated from Erskine College with an AB degree in 1958 and from Erskine Theological Seminary with a MDiv. in 1961. He also studied at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia and McCormick Theological Seminary through off campus study.

South Carolina Presbytery ordanined Bill, in June of 1961. While a student he served his home church Nell Townsend Presbyterian Church in Anderson, SC.  After ordination he served as pastor of three Presbyterian Churches in three states:  Todd Memorial Presbyterian in Laurens, SC, Rockmart Presbyterian in Rockmart, Georgia and Second Presbyterian in Lexington, NC. While in Rockmart he served Euharlee Presbyterian Church part time as Stated Supply Pastor. His father served with him as an Elder and his son, Mark and daughter, Stacy served with him as Elders at Second Presbyterian where he was pastor. In 1986 he celebrated 25 years of ordination. He retired at the end of May 2001 having served 43 years as a pastor.

He was moderator of Cherokee Presbytery in Georgia and of the Concord Presbytery in NC. He was general chairman of the Rockmart Georgia Centennial Commission. He was president of the Rotary Club of Rockmart, Georgia. Twice he was a commissioner of the General Assembly of his denomination, The Presbyterian Church, USA, at Montreat, NC in 1972 and at Phoenix, Arizona in 1984.

Bill loved his family, books, his dog, preaching, teaching, square and line dancing, philosophical discussions with his minister friends, his computer, and most of all retirement. Bill was an introvert who loved solitude and a Democrat who believed Jimmy Carter was the best president in memory. He had the Sosebee characteristic of stubbornness or to put it more positively, tenacity.

Surviving is his wife who he married June 8, 1958 in Anderson, SC, Jean Geer Sosebee who was the apple of his eye. They have three beloved children: Mark, David and Stacy. They have five precious grandchildren: Seth, son of Mark and Terri Medlin Sosebee, Amber and David, Jr., wife Linah, children of David and Terri Bowers Sosebee, Emma and Sam children of Stacy and Billy West and great-granddaughter, Lilah Mae Latta Sosebee, child of Seth and Courtney Latta Sosebee.

In lieu of flowers, memorials should be directed to New Hope Presbyterian Church, PO Box 1334, Lexington, NC  27293.