William Dorman Pridgen, 82, passed away on July 11, 2014. He was born in Little River, S. C. in 1932 to the late Robert Wilson and Isabel Stone Pridgen of Kingstree.

Mr. Pridgen graduated from Kingstree High School and the University of South Carolina Law School. He was known fondly as both “Bill” and “Billy”. Bill grew up in Kingstree and played baseball for USC. He was married to Mitsie Welch Pridgen, who predeceased him. Bill and Mitsie lived happily together for 52 years. Later, Bill was lucky enough to find and marry his college sweetheart, Ann Gilchrist Whitmire and they were happy together until Bill’s death.

After graduating from law school in 1955 Bill joined the Air Force. He trained in Texas, served in South Korea and had further assignments in Japan and the Philippines. Bill completed his service in 1957 as a 2^nd Lieutenant and returned to South Carolina. His civilian career included banking, teaching and many years practicing law. He enjoyed criminal defense work and was a proud member of the bar until his death.

Bill loved friends and family deeply and demonstrated this in both word and deed. This love of friends was especially true of his lifelong friendship with John (Gus) Montgomery of Kingstree. Bill’s devotion to family was solid and any need there surpassed all others. Of fatherhood he once wrote, “It is the duty and privilege of parenting to be concerned of every imagined shadow that may threaten”. However, it was Bill’s caretaking of Mitsie that became his testimony. After Mitsie developed Alzheimer’s, he took loving, single-handed care of her in their home for 15 years.

Bill was preceded in death by his sister Bobbie Pridgen Harley of Myrtle Beach. In addition to Ann, he is survived by his son, Will and daughter, Dargan. Will, of Rocky Face, GA, is married to Marla. Dargan, of Greeleyville, is married to Marty Easler. Bill has eight grandchildren, Isabel who is Will and Marla’s daughter, and Jim, Kathryn, Emma Rose, Harry, Mildred, Marti, and Billie, all of whom are Dargan and Marty’s children. He is also survived by his brother, Robert Wilson (Sonny) Pridgen, Jr. of Salem, SC and his wife Margaret and nephew Tommy Harley and family of Charleston and niece Sherrie Gore and family of Myrtle Beach.

Bill asked that his obituary end simply “teacher, lawyer, husband, and father”.