Obituary of William Valentine "Billy" Hadsell Jr. WILLIAM VALENTINE HADSELL JR Virginian-Pilot, The (Norfolk, VA) - January 29, 2006 FRANKLIN - William Valentine "Billy" Hadsell Jr., 80, died Jan. 28, 2006, at East Pavilion. Mr. Hadsell was born Oct. 18, 1925, in Savannah, Ga., the son of the late William and Margaret McPhelan Hadsell. After graduating from Savannah High School, he joined the Navy serving three years and seven months on active duty and continued in the active reserve for 23 years, retiring as lieutenant commander. He graduated from Clemson University in 1949, with a degree in civil engineering. In 1958, Mr. Hadsell started the Hadsell & Gay Engineering firm which continues in operation today. He began Bouy, Hadsell, Hall Construction Co. that later became Hadsell Construction Co. and started the Western Sizzlin Steak House in Orlando, Fla. Mr. Hadsell was instrumental in the start of Golden Corral Corporation and went to work heading the construction and later was vice-president of project design from 1976 to 2001. Bill was owner and operator of Savannah Speedway from 1967 to 1969 and was very active in the Jaycees in Savannah. He was an avid golfer, a member of McGregor Downs Country Club in Cary, N.C., and a patron of the Masters Golf Tournament since 1948. He was a member of Grace United Methodist Church. Mr. Hadsell is survived by his wife of 37 years, Betty Ann Bradshaw Hadsell; his mother-in-law, Edna H. Bradshaw, also of the home; six daughters, Nancy Ann Hadsell of Denton, Texas, Diane H. Spicer and husband Frank of Tampa, Fla., Betty Carole Smith of Franklin, Laura H. Anderson and Carol H. Gaskin and husband Bud, all of Savannah, Ga., and Ann C. Brett-Hadsell and fiance Michael Ferguson of Greenville, N.C.; three sons, William V. Hadsell III and wife Peggy of Lawrenceville, Ga., Michael J. Hadsell and wife Pamela of Birmingham, Ala., and Russell C. Brett and wife Christine of Franklin; one sister, Marjorie H. Weiler and husband Larry of Raleigh, N.C.; 15 grandchildren, Jessica and Amy Brett, Jennifer Stuart and husband Jay, Amanda Morton and husband Ben, Kathryn Howard, Carolyn Kent, Brian Kent and wife Elizabeth, Michael Hadsell, Mary Hadsell, Anna Hadsell, Adam Gaskin, Brian Gaskin, Jim Hadsell, Ian Hadsell, Elizabeth Smith; five great-grandchildren, Ethan Thomas Drames, Matthew William Morton, Skylar Madison Diehl, Justice Gaskin and Adrienne Gaskin; and many nieces and nephews. Mr. Hadsell was predeceased by a sister, Louise H. Bunger and a grandson, Warren Kent. A funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Wright Funeral Home, Franklin, with the Rev. Elizabeth Von Trapp Walker officiating. Burial, with military honors, will follow in Poplar Spring Cemetery . The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday and suggest memorials to be made to Grace United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 73, Sedley, VA 23878. Edition: VP - The Virginian-Pilot Section: Local Page: B5 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ––– Narrative Summary of the Obituary ––– William Valentine "Billy" Hadsell Jr., born 18 Oct 1925, died 28 Jan 2006 in Franklin, Virginia, leaving a large family of children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Funeral services were held Thursday at Wright Funeral Home in Franklin, with Rev. Elizabeth Von Trapp Walker officiating, and burial with military honors followed in Poplar Spring Cemetery. ––– Transcript ––– WILLIAM VALENTINE HADSELL JR Virginian-Pilot, The (Norfolk, VA) - January 29, 2006 FRANKLIN - William Valentine "Billy" Hadsell Jr., 80, died Jan. 28, 2006, at East Pavilion. Mr. Hadsell was born Oct. 18, 1925, in Savannah, Ga., the son of the late William and Margaret McPhelan Hadsell. After graduating from Savannah High School, he joined the Navy, serving three years and seven months on active duty, and continued in the active reserve for 23 years, retiring as lieutenant commander. He graduated from Clemson University in 1949 with a degree in civil engineering. In 1958, Mr. Hadsell started the Hadsell & Gay Engineering firm, which continues in operation today. He began Bouy, Hadsell, Hall Construction Co. that later became Hadsell Construction Co. and started the Western Sizzlin Steak House in Orlando, Fla. Mr. Hadsell was instrumental in the start of Golden Corral Corporation and went to work heading the construction and later was vice president of project design from 1976 to 2001. Bill was owner and operator of Savannah Speedway from 1967 to 1969 and was very active in the Jaycees in Savannah. He was an avid golfer, a member of McGregor Downs Country Club in Cary, N.C., and a patron of the Masters Golf Tournament since 1948. He was a member of Grace United Methodist Church. Mr. Hadsell is survived by his wife of 37 years, Betty Ann Bradshaw Hadsell; his mother-in-law, Edna H. Bradshaw, also of the home; six daughters, Nancy Ann Hadsell of Denton, Texas, Diane H. Spicer and husband Frank of Tampa, Fla., Betty Carole Smith of Franklin, Laura H. Anderson and Carol H. Gaskin and husband Bud, all of Savannah, Ga., and Ann C. Brett-Hadsell and fiance Michael Ferguson of Greenville, N.C.; three sons, William V. Hadsell III and wife Peggy of Lawrenceville, Ga., Michael J. Hadsell and wife Pamela of Birmingham, Ala., and Russell C. Brett and wife Christine of Franklin; one sister, Marjorie H. Weiler and husband Larry of Raleigh, N.C.; 15 grandchildren, Jessica and Amy Brett, Jennifer Stuart and husband Jay, Amanda Morton and husband Ben, Kathryn Howard, Carolyn Kent, Brian Kent and wife Elizabeth, Michael Hadsell, Mary Hadsell, Anna Hadsell, Adam Gaskin, Brian Gaskin, Jim Hadsell, Ian Hadsell and Elizabeth Smith; five great-grandchildren, Ethan Thomas Drames, Matthew William Morton, Skylar Madison Diehl, Justice Gaskin and Adrienne Gaskin; and many nieces and nephews. Mr. Hadsell was predeceased by a sister, Louise H. Bunger, and a grandson, Warren Kent. A funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Wright Funeral Home, Franklin, with the Rev. Elizabeth Von Trapp Walker officiating. Burial, with military honors, will follow in Poplar Spring Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday and suggests memorials be made to Grace United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 73, Sedley, VA 23878. ––– Vital Statistics ––– |-----------------------------------------------| | Name | William Valentine "Billy" Hadsell Jr. | | Age | 80 | | Birth | 18 October 1925; Savannah, Georgia | | Death | 28 January 2006; Franklin, Virginia | |-----------------------------------------------| ––– Table of Relationships ––– |-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Name | Relationship | Residence | |---------------------------------------|------------------------|--------------------| | William Valentine "Billy" Hadsell Jr. | Decedent | Franklin, Virginia | | Betty Ann Bradshaw Hadsell | Wife | Franklin, Virginia | | William Hadsell | Father (late) | [Not stated] | | Margaret McPhelan Hadsell | Mother (late) | [Not stated] | | Edna H. Bradshaw | Mother-in-law | Franklin, Virginia | | Nancy Ann Hadsell | Daughter | Denton, Texas | | Diane H. Spicer | Daughter | Tampa, Florida | | Frank Spicer | Son-in-law | Tampa, Florida | | Betty Carole Smith | Daughter | Franklin, Virginia | | Laura H. Anderson | Daughter | Savannah, Georgia | | Carol H. Gaskin | Daughter | Savannah, Georgia | | Bud Gaskin | Son-in-law | Savannah, Georgia | | Ann C. Brett-Hadsell | Daughter | Greenville, N.C. | | Michael Ferguson | Fiance of daughter Ann | Greenville, N.C. | | William V. Hadsell III | Son | Lawrenceville, Ga. | | Peggy Hadsell | Daughter-in-law | Lawrenceville, Ga. | | Michael J. Hadsell | Son | Birmingham, Ala. | | Pamela Hadsell | Daughter-in-law | Birmingham, Ala. | | Russell C. Brett | Son | Franklin, Virginia | | Christine Brett | Daughter-in-law | Franklin, Virginia | | Marjorie H. Weiler | Sister | Raleigh, N.C. | | Larry Weiler | Brother-in-law | Raleigh, N.C. | | Jessica Brett | Grandchild | [Not stated] | | Amy Brett | Grandchild | [Not stated] | | Jennifer Stuart | Grandchild | [Not stated] | | Jay Stuart | Grandchild's spouse | [Not stated] | | Amanda Morton | Grandchild | [Not stated] | | Ben Morton | Grandchild's spouse | [Not stated] | | Kathryn Howard | Grandchild | [Not stated] | | Carolyn Kent | Grandchild | [Not stated] | | Brian Kent | Grandchild | [Not stated] | | Elizabeth Kent | Grandchild's spouse | [Not stated] | | Michael Hadsell | Grandchild | [Not stated] | | Mary Hadsell | Grandchild | [Not stated] | | Anna Hadsell | Grandchild | [Not stated] | | Adam Gaskin | Grandchild | [Not stated] | | Brian Gaskin | Grandchild | [Not stated] | | Jim Hadsell | Grandchild | [Not stated] | | Ian Hadsell | Grandchild | [Not stated] | | Elizabeth Smith | Grandchild | [Not stated] | | Ethan Thomas Drames | Great-grandchild | [Not stated] | | Matthew William Morton | Great-grandchild | [Not stated] | | Skylar Madison Diehl | Great-grandchild | [Not stated] | | Justice Gaskin | Great-grandchild | [Not stated] | | Adrienne Gaskin | Great-grandchild | [Not stated] | | Louise H. Bunger | Sister (predeceased) | [Not stated] | | Warren Kent | Grandson (predeceased) | [Not stated] | |-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| ––– Publication Details ––– |-------------------------------------| | Field | Value | |----------|--------------------------| | Location | Norfolk, Virginia | | Name | The Virginian-Pilot | | Date | 29 January 2006 | | Edition | VP - The Virginian-Pilot | | Section | Local | | Page | B5 | |-------------------------------------| ––– Other Relevant Information ––– • He served in the Navy on active duty for three years and seven months. • He continued in the active Naval Reserve for 23 years, retiring as a lieutenant commander. • He graduated from Savannah High School. • He graduated from Clemson University in 1949 with a degree in civil engineering. • He started Hadsell & Gay Engineering in 1958. • He began Bouy, Hadsell, Hall Construction Co., later Hadsell Construction Co. • He started the Western Sizzlin Steak House in Orlando, Florida. • He was instrumental in starting Golden Corral Corporation. • He served as vice president of project design at Golden Corral from 1976 to 2001. • He owned and operated Savannah Speedway from 1967 to 1969. • He was active in the Jaycees in Savannah. • He was a member of McGregor Downs Country Club in Cary, North Carolina. • He was a patron of the Masters Golf Tournament since 1948. • He was a member of Grace United Methodist Church. • Spouse's birth name was Betty Ann Bradshaw. [See also: www.findagrave.com/memorial/114078804/william-valentine-hadsell www.findagrave.com/memorial/256149260/betty_ann-brett_hadsell (spouse) www.findagrave.com/cemetery/51709/poplar-spring-cemetery https://sites.rootsweb.com/~vaschs/pscindex.txt ] [Contributed by Bruce Saunders, bs4403@verizon.net Formattinng and references by the Southampton Transcription Project] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may have contributed to the creation of this text. Please verify critical information, as AI-generated content can include errors.] [This file is https://go-stp.com/BruceObituaries/ShowText.html?Hadsell, William Valentine Jr.txt]