Billy Wilson Varnado

August 5, 1930 - December 29, 2007

Col. Billy W. Varnado, TN Natl Guard, (ret.) Mr. Billy Wilson Varnado, 77, a resident of Dry Fork Road in the Hampshire Community, departed this life Saturday, December 29, 2007 at Maury Regional Hospital. Funeral Services for Mr. Varnado will be conducted Tuesday, January 1, 2008 at 1:00 p.m. at Pleasant Heights Baptist Church with Bro. Edd Brown and Bro. Hueston Marshall officiating. Burial will be in Polk Memorial Gardens with military honors provided by the Tennessee National Guard. The family will visit with friends Monday, December 31, 2007 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Pleasant Heights Baptist Church., and Tuesday from 11:00 until time of service at the church. Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. The Mississippi native was the son of the late Henry Grayson and Ruby Merle Reynolds Varnado. He was married to Wilma Elizabeth Bottoms Varnado, who passed away in 2000. He received his Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Mississippi State University. He served in the Korean Conflict for the Mississippi National Guard. He was a former commander of the 473rd Support Battalion in Columbia, Tennessee. He was a retired engineer for Union Carbide, and a member of Beech Hill Church of Christ, where he formerly served as a long-time elder. Mr. Varnado was an avid gardener, who loved raising roses, a loving father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He was a member of the American Legion and was a very humble philanthropist. He is survived by a daughter, Elizabeth Liz (Mike) Lomax of Columbia, TN; three sons, Frank (Jan) Varnado, Jr. of Columbia, TN; Kevin (Elizabeth) Varnado of White House, TN, and Brian Varnado of Hampshire TN; grandchildren, Ben (Cindy) Varnado of Charleston, SC; Bryan (Sara) Varnado of Columbia, TN; Jessa Varnado of White House, TN; Jay Varnado of White House, TN; Lauren Lomax of Columbia, TN; Lake Lomax of Columbia, TN; great grandchildren, Isabelle Varnado, Taylor Varnado, Joyce Varnado, and Samuel Schrader Varnado; sister, Merle Ford of Columbia, MS; many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by a brother, Grayson Varnado, Jr. Pallbearers will be Tom Ford, Jesse Ford, Jerry Ford, Bryan Varnado, Ben Varnado, and Johnny Jaggers. Honorary Pallbearers will be Rock Jaggers, Julie Jaggers, Skip Bottoms, George Horne, Betsy Glazier, Col. Joe B. Matthews, Bobby Bradley, Vernon Brooks, Men of Beech Hill Church of Christ, Retirees of UCAR, members of Herbert Griffin American Legion Post 19, Edd Brown, and Hueston Marshall. Memorials may be made to Columbia Academy Scholarship Fund, 1114 West 7th Street, Columbia, TN 38401. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.heritage-fhcs.com.