William "Bill" Godwin, 88, Former Woodstock Rotary Club President

The following obituary was submitted by Woodstock Funeral Home:

William A. “Bill” Godwin, 88, of Woodstock passed away October 1, 2014. He was born on December 7, 1925, in Valdosta to the late Elizabeth Lake and William Avery Godwin, Sr.

In 1943, Bill joined the United States Navy, and he served honorably in the Pacific Theater during WWII. After his service, Bill received his diploma from the Boys High School in Atlanta. He enjoyed a career in sales in the newspaper and display Industry.

He sold advertising for Ward-Griffith Company, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Gainesville Daily Sun, Marietta Daily Journal and the Neighbor Newspapers Group. He also owned and operated the Manchester Star Mercury. In 1973, he co-founded, with Jim McElreath, The News Shopper which served Cherokee, Cobb, North Fulton and Pickens counties.

He ran The News Shopper until 2005. Bill was a past President of the Woodstock Rotary Club and past President of the Cherokee County Board of Ethics. He was also an avid hunter and fisherman. Bill was a devoted husband, father and grandfather.

He will be missed by all that knew him. He was preceded in death by his wife, Carolyn Godwin and sisters, Camille, Charlene and Betty. He leaves behind sons, Bill Godwin (Dona), Nathan Godwin (Debra) and John Godwin (Nancy), 8 grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren and twin sister, Jean Lorentzen.

A funeral service will be held Sunday, Oct. 5 at 2 p.m. at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Canton.

The family will receive friends on Saturday, Oct. 4 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Woodstock Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations in Bill’s memory to either the Georgia Wildlife Federation, www.gwf.org, 11600 Hazelbrand Rd, Covington, GA 30014 or the American Cancer Society ,www.cancer.org, 1825 Barrett Lakes Blvd, Suite 280, Kennesaw, GA 30144.

(Photo credit: Woodstock Funeral Home)