William Jesse Sandefur

William J. Sandefur, 93, of Dania Beach, Florida, formerly of Nocatee, Florida, passed away peacefully on Saturday, August 5, 2017 at the Alexander Nininger Veterans Assisted Living in Pembroke Pines, Florida.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, August 12, 2017 at 11:00 am in the chapel of Albritton Funeral Directors with Rev. Thomas Rutland officiating. Interment will follow at Clements Chapel Cemetery in Turner County. The family will receive friends from 10-11 am on Saturday before the service at the funeral home.

Mr. Sandifur was born in Sycamore, Georgia on February 14, 1924, he was one of 9 children born to Leonard Hill and Mittie Lee Nesmith Sandefur. At the age of 14, Mr. Sandefur moved to Nocatee, Florida where he lived until enlisting in the United States Coast Guard during WW II.  He was honorably discharged and for a short time returned to Georgia where he worked for the railroad. Bill moved to South Florida where he worked more than three decades as a commercial fisherman.  Along with his wife Margaret, he opened “Two Bill’s Fish Market” in Dania Beach, Florida. Bill was appointed by Governor Bob Graham as a Commissioner on the Marine Fisheries Commission in the 1980’s.

Mr. Sandefur is survived by his two children William J. (Marsha) Sandefur and Janet L. (Roger) Plouffe; two sisters, Geraldine Andre and Laura Jean Perez; 5 grandchildren; 8 great grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, beloved wife, Margaret Sandefur; and his seven brothers, Louie, Hinton, Clinton, Richard, Jimmy, Horace and W. L. Sandefur.

He was a loving man and called “Papa” by everyone he met.