William A. "Bill" Almond

William A. “Bill” Almond, 92, of Cumming passed away Tuesday, April 5, 2022.

Bill was born June 29, 1929 in Bryson City, North Carolina to the late Lewis A. “Jack” and Nancy Ann Mitchell Almond.  In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Shirley Dianne Almond, sisters, Hermie Almond, Minnie Almond, Mae Reel, Elizabeth “Liz” Gravitt, Brothers, John Almond, Wayne Almond, James Almond, half brother, Welding Mitchell, sons, Richard Almond, Jackie Almond, son in law, Johnny L. Holtzclaw, granddaughters, Michelle Almond, Jeanie Roberts, and his first wife, Corene Paterson Roberts. 

As a young boy, Bill would walk to school and church.  Sometimes his family would travel by a mule drawn sled or by a handmade riverboat.  The Almond family would grow their own vegetables and raised cows and pigs for the food they ate.  His dad was a Baptist preacher and tobacco farmer.  At an early age he would help his parents cut the tobacco and get it ready to sell.  It was in those tobacco fields in 1940 that his dad would die when Bill was just eleven years old.  In the early 1940’s Fontana Dam was built, forming Fontana Lake that was going to supply electricity during World War II.  Many homes would be flooded to make room for the lake and 600 families would be forced from their land.  His mother would load everything they owned on a wagon and make the 100 mile journey to Dahlonega, Georgia.  He would finish growing up in Dahlonega where he would be Baptized in Yahola Creek.  As a young man he worked at the sawmill and would watch baseball at North Georgia College.  It was at one of those games that he was hit with a baseball, loosing the sight in his left eye.  As a Daddy, he would raise seven children.  He worked for many years in the poultry industry and retired from Harrison Poultry in the early 1990’s.  After retirement, he returned to Forsyth County where he would live for over thirty years. 

A loving Daddy and Papa Bill, he is survived by his children, Andy J. R. and Patty Almond, Winder, Danny Almond, Winder, Vama Holtzclaw, Dawsonville, Mark and Lisa Almond, Cumming, Mary and James Elvis Watkins, Dahlonega; 19 grandchildren, 45 great grandchildren, 11 great great grandchildren, and a number of other relatives.

Funeral services will be held Friday, April 8, 2022 at 2 o’clock at Bearden Funeral Home Chapel.  Rev. Ruel Martin will officiate.  Interment will follow in the Friendship Baptist Church Cemetery In Cumming.

The family will receive friends Friday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the funeral home.

Condolences may be expressed at www.beardenfuneralhome.com.

Bearden Funeral Home, Dawsonville, GA.