R. Willard Bill Warfield

R. Willard “Bill” Warfield, 94, Johnson City, died Saturday, October 5, 2019, at Colonial Hill Retirement Center.
Mr. Warfield was born in Lutz, FL but had lived in Johnson City since 1973. He was the son of Roger Winfield Warfield and Grace Bertzel Warfield, of Lutz, FL.
He received a Bachelor of Arts with a concentration in music from Stetson University, DeLand, FL and Master of Religious Education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, TX.
Mr. Warfield retired from Central Baptist Church, of Johnson City, in 1992 after 17 years of service as Minister of Education and two years as Associate Pastor/Administrator. In 2001, he returned to the staff as Minister of Senior Adults. Mr. Warfield was active in the Holston Baptist Association for many years, having served as the Sunday School Director and as the Senior Adult Coordinator. He also served with the Sunday School Department of Tennessee Baptist Convention as a conference leader. Prior to coming to Johnson City, he had served churches in Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Texas. He was formerly employed as an associate in the Sunday School Department of the Alabama Baptist Convention.
In 1974, he was commissioned as a member of the advisory committee of the Tennessee Commission on Aging by Gov. Winfield Dunn. From 1974-1979, he was Chairman of the Advisory Council on Aging for the First Tennessee Development District. He was one of the founding committee members of the Heissee Johnson Keeping Warm Program and served as Chairman of the governing committee from 1997-2000. In the early years of the Contact Ministry, he served on the board and as a volunteer director of Contact Ministry.
Mr. Warfield was an outstanding cook and enjoyed entertaining family, friends and church mission teams with great fellowship around the table. He enjoyed volunteering at the Senior Center and mentoring children through the Boys to Men program.
In addition to his parents, Mr. Warfield was preceded in death by: his wife of 67 years, Margaret Inez Warfield; two sisters, Wilma Payne, of Lutz, FL and Claire Alice Stocky, of St. Petersburg, FL; one infant granddaughter, Haley Paige Young, of Asheville, NC; and one son-in-law, Bob Odom, of Johnson City.
Survivors include: three daughters, Deborah Warfield Odom, of Johnson City, Barbara Smith and her husband Dennis, of Johnson City, and Revonda Young and her husband Bruce, of Asheville, NC; seven grandchildren, Deanna Claire Odom, of Austin, TX, Dustin Evan Odom, of Johnson City, Riley Thomas Stephenson, of Johnson City, Chelsea Grace Setzer and her husband Zach, of Asheville, Colin Isaac Young, of Asheville, Parker Aaron Young and his wife Chelsea Faith, of Asheville, and Hannah Renee Farrior and her husband Paul, of Florence, SC; five great grandchildren, Chance Gabriel Young, Faith Gabriella Young, Haley Paige Setzer, all of Asheville, Miller James Farrior, and Margaret “Maggie” Ruth Farrior, all of Florence, SC; two brothers, Harold B. Warfield, of Watkinsville, GA and Craig K. Warfield and his wife Amie, of Virginia Beach, VA; and many beloved nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank Mr. Warfield’s friends and the Supportive Services staff at Colonial Hill Retirement Center for their support and assistance. Also, thank you to Caris Hospice and Dr. Rebecca Copeland for the compassionate care they extended to Bill.
The family of Mr. Warfield will receive friends from 4 PM until 6 PM Thursday, October 10, 2019, at Central Baptist Church. The funeral will follow at 6 PM with Dr. Tommy Hood officiating. Pallbearers include: Allen Renfro, Edward Sorrell, Robert Hodges III, William Ellison, Kipp N. Stephenson and the grandsons. Honorary pallbearers include the William Rigell Sunday School Class of Central Baptist Church. The committal service will be held at 10 AM on Friday at Monte Vista Memorial Park. Family and friends are asked to assemble at the cemetery by 9:50 AM.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: Central Baptist Church, 300 N. Roan St., Johnson City, TN 37601 or Gideon’s International at www.gideons.org/donate.