William "Billy" Pickett Marchant

       Mr. William Pickett "Billy" Marchant, 89 of Tifton passed away at Harborview Health Systems of Tifton on Saturday, February 10, 2024.  

A graveside service will be held at Oakridge Cemetery on Wednesday, February 14, 2023 at 11:00 A.M. with Rev. Stacy Phillips officiating.

Mr. Marchant was born on August 5, 1934, in Tift county, Georgia as the son of the late Artie Lennie Marchant and Lula Willis Bryan Marchant.  In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his three brothers and two sisters-in-law, Denver and his wife Glennice Bryan, Leon Marchant and Wright and his wife Hazel Marchant and five sisters and two brothers-in-law, Evelyn and her husband, Tom Clark, Willie and her husband, Clifton Dickens, Myrtice Marchant, Wynell Marchant and Marylene and her husband Bob Whittington.

Mr. Marchant graduated from Tifton High School in 1952, in the first twelfth grade graduating class at Tifton High School. That high school building now serves as the Tift County Administration Building.  Upon graduation, he attended the Southern Business School in Atlanta, where he learned telegraph operating and studied to become a train depot agent. This led him into military service with the United States Army Security Agency.  He served for eighteen months in Korea where he was a high-speed radio operator of the Morse Code.  He was honorably discharged in 1955.  After his military service, he returned to Tifton and attended Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College, then he joined the Tifton Police Department as a motorcycle officer.  He later became part of the sales team for Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company where he retired in 1989.  He was not retired for long when began working with Ocilla Tire in Ocilla and General Tire Company in Tifton.  After retiring completely from a public job, he enjoyed fishing, woodworking, working in his yards and knife making.  He also enjoyed watching the old westerns, Nascar racing and football on TV.  He was always quick to lend a helping hand to friends and family.  

He is remembered as a very caring and loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.  He was an active member of Northside Baptist Church in Tifton, where he served as a trustee as well as a member of the counting committee team and an usher where for many years, he enjoyed fellowship with everyone, because he just loved people.

Mr. Marchant is survived by his wife of sixty seven years, Marie Beard Marchant; his son and daughter-in-law,  Walt and Jinny Marchant of Suwanee; his daughter and son-in-law, Rhonda and Steve Pearman,of Tifton along with his three grandchildren and their spouses; Jason and Lydia Marchant of Bogart, Justin and Rosie Marchant of Winder, and Ashlea and Matt Sheorn of Starkville MS; his great-grandchildren, Cade Marchant, Cohen Marchant, Sophie Marchant, Rogan Marchant, and Riley Marchant, his sister, Merle Perryman of Sylvester and sister-in-law, Ruth Beard of Tifton.

Flowers will be accepted or donations may be made to Northside Baptist Church, 4605 Murray Ave., Tifton, GA  31794.

Albritton Funeral Directors is in charge of arrangements.