William Glenn “Bill” Gainey
William Glenn “Bill” Gainey, 72, passed away Thursday, January 1, 2015.
A memorial service will be held at 4:00 pm on Sunday, January 4, at Saint James United Methodist Church in Tarboro with the Rev. Bobby Tyson and Rev. Eric Crowe officiating.
William G. Gainey was born and raised in the small town of Maxton in Robeson County. He completed his undergraduate education at Pembroke and went on to receive his MPA from North Carolina State University. Bill later moved to Tarboro where he retired as the executive vice president and administrator of the Tarboro Clinic (known today as Vidant Multispecialty Clinic), a seventeen physician multi-specialty medical practice. Prior to his position in Tarboro, Bill served as the administrator and assistant chief of the Adult Health Section of the North Carolina Division of Health Service, North Carolina State Board of Health, and as administrator of the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Health from 1970-1981. Bill’s faith played an important role in his life which was evident in his work as a faithful member of Saint James United Methodist Church in Tarboro and was active within the North Carolina United Methodist Conference where he served as a volunteer health care consultant to church missions in Armenia, Bolivia, Honduras, Nagorno-Karabakh and Nicaragua. Dedicated to advancing public health and medicine, Bill was responsible for having the Kidney Donor symbol applied to North Carolina State Driver’s License.
Community service was of the upmost importance to Bill. He served as the Commissioner for the Tarboro Housing Authority as well as in the Rotary Club of Tarboro, Edgecombe County Wellness Advisory Committee, and was the Vice Chairman of Albemarle Retirement Center. Bill was also a member of the National Medical Group Management Association and served as the Secretary and Treasurer of the NC Foundation for Advance Health Programs Incorporated.
Not only was Bill dedicated to his community and the medical profession, but to his country as well. Bill honorably served in the US Army with 18th Airborne Corps, 82nd Airborne Division and attained the rank of Captain while serving with the 173rd Airborne Brigade in the Republic of Vietnam.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Jasper Glenn Gainey and Bertha Byrd McQueen Gainey; and by a sister, Jean Gainey Rhinefield.
Bill is survived by a loving and devoted family, which includes his wife of 47 years, Bonnie Poplin Gainey; daughter, Poppy Gainey Joyner and husband, Chris, of Moyock; son, Marcellus Gainey and wife, Shannon, of Mechanicsville, VA; sister, Martha Byrd Grundmann and husband, Bill, of Silver Spring, MD; brother, James Gainey, of Great Cacapon, WV; grandchildren, Colby Joyner, Zoe Gainey, Avery Gainey, Will Gainey and Hanna Vinson; and a brother-in-law, Bill Poplin and wife, Betty, of Rocky Mount.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Bill’s memory to Saint James United Methodist Church: 211 East Saint James Street, Tarboro, NC 27886; the North Carolina Kidney Foundation: 4701 Hedgemore Drive Suite 810, Charlotte, NC 28209; or to the charity of your choice.
The family will receive friends and relatives immediately following the service in the fellowship hall.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Carlisle Funeral Home, Inc., of Tarboro. Online condolences may be directed to the family by visiting www.carlislefuneralhome.com
This story was originally published January 3, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "William Glenn “Bill” Gainey."