Bill Earnhardt

BLYTHEWOOD--Funeral service for Mr. William Eugene "Bill" Earnhardt, 70, of Blythewood, will be held 2 o'clock, Monday, May 9, 2005, in St. Andrew's Lutheran Church, Blythewood, SC officiated by The Reverend Dr. Robert H. Thompson and The Reverend Douglas E. Graul of St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Irmo, SC. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends from 3 until 5 o'clock Sunday afternoon at Shives Funeral Home. Serving as pallbearers will be Paul T. Cotton, III, William R. Cotton, Timothy W. Cotton, Joel Black, Kenneth Martin, Sr., Kenneth Martin, Jr., Hoyt Rhodes, longtime loving and caring friend and grandson of Bill and Martha, and Travis Conrad. Memorials may be made to St. Andrew's Lutheran Church, 1729 Blythewood Road, Blythewood, SC 29016.

Mr. Earnhardt died Friday, May 6, 2005. Born in Rowan County, NC, he was a son of the late Hilbert William and Zelia Propst Earnhardt. He was a longtime member of St. Mark's Lutheran Church where he served as President of the Church Council. Mr. Earnhardt was also a former member of Union Lutheran Church in Salisbury, NC and currently attended St. Andrew's Lutheran Church in Blythewood. He previously worked for Anchor Post Products and Akers Motor Lines. Mr. Earnhardt formerly managed Moss-McLeod Trucking Company and later began his own trucking company, Cheetah Transportation, with his longtime friend Gene Holland. As his health declined, he retired. Mr. Earnhardt devoted over 18 years in the Blythewood Baseball Leagues. He was also an avid NASCAR fan, especially following the late Dale Earnhardt.

Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Martha Jane Wilhelm Earnhardt, sons, Rick Eugene Earnhardt and wife, Myra, and Perry Wayne Earnhardt and his wife LuAnne; daughter, Dawn Earnhardt Martin-Black and husband Joel all for Blythewood; grandchildren, Stacy Earnhardt and companion Lyle Aten, April Earnhardt Smith and husband Alvin Smith, Thomas Edward Dial, Jr., Kenneth R. Martin, Jr. and companion Nicole Herman, Vanessa Dawn Martin and companion Steve Aten, Paul Thomas Cotton, III and wife Leigh, William Robert Cotton and wife Melony and Timothy Wayne Cotton and companion Shannon Flood; great-grandchildren, Madison Blythe Cotton, Rebecca Diana Cotton, Shelby Elaine Cotton, William Robert Cotton, Jr., and Matthew Dorsey; sisters, Joan Earnhardt Troutman and husband Jim, and Lynn Earnhardt Coughenhour and husband Paul all of Salisbury, NC; brothers, Joseph C. Earnhardt and wife Joyce of Concord, NC and Lonny Alexander Earnhardt, Sr. and wife Jimmie of Granite Quarry, NC. Mr. Earnhardt was preceded in death by his daughter, Sharon Diana Earnhardt Cotton who died September 14, 1994 and two great-granddaughters, Alexis Nicole Earnhardt-Warrick September 24, 1995 and Alysea Marie Earnhardt-Warrick December 10, 2000.

The family would like to give special thanks to family friend and nurse Jennifer Turbeville as well as Lutheran Hospice for their loving care given.

Salisbury Post, 8 May 2005