William Bowyer "Bill" Handley

William Bowyer “Bill” Handley, age 99 of Rabun Gap, Georgia went home to be with the Lord on Friday, November 12, 2021.

Born in Huntington, West Virginia on May 16, 1922, he was a son of the late Garland Love Handley & the late Heloise Bowyer Handley Tolbert. Bill served his country proudly in the United States Army Air Corp during WWII and was retired from Georgia Power Company with 37 years of dedicated service. In earlier years, “Wild Bill” as he was known, was deeply involved with the Tallulah Falls Volunteer Fire Department and the Tallulah Falls Lions Club. Following retirement, he enjoyed many years of traveling around the country, bird & squirrel watching, and was a natural engineer of various homemade devices. Bill also spent hours of researching and compiling his family’s genealogy into a family book and was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution. Most of all, he enjoyed spending precious time with his family and was affectionately known to his grandchildren as “Poppy.”  

In addition to his parents, Bill was preceded in death by his wife, Martha Alice Williamson Handley; brother & sister-in-law, Robert Handley Tolbert & Margaret E. Tolbert; and a nephew, Robert Arthur “Rip” Tolbert.

Survivors include his daughters & sons-in-law, Heloise & Chuck Wilson of Jonesboro, GA; Lynn Handley & Bruce Taylor of Decatur, GA; Julia & Bill McEntire of Lula, GA; grandchildren, Caroline & Jared Steinberg of Cumming, GA; Lily & Joshua Killingsworth of Manhattan, NY; Tyler & Hannah McEntire of Lula, GA; Seth & Madeline McEntire of Smyrna, GA; great-grandchildren, Piper Steinberg & Luke McEntire;  sister-in-law, Lillie Williamson of Mountain City, GA; many nieces, nephews, other relatives, & a host of friends.

Funeral services are scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 16, 2021 at Hillside Memorial Chapel with Rev. James Turpin & Rev. Kenneth McEntire officiating.

Bill’s wishes were to be cremated following the funeral service.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 1:00 p.m. until the service hour on Tuesday.

The Handley family requests that those present for the visitation & funeral observe all guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control for social distancing regarding Covid-19.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to www.stjude.org/donate in memory of Bill Handley.

An online guest registry is available for the Handley family at www.HillsideMemorialChapel.com

Arrangements by Hillside Memorial Chapel, Clarkesville, Georgia. (706) 754-6256