Dr. William "Bill" Donald Pepper

William “Bill” Donald Pepper, 86, of Athens, died on Sunday, April 3, 2022 following a courageous battle against Parkinson’s Disease.

Bill was born on April 29, 1935 in Dadeville, AL to Herman William Peppers and Jessie Florence McGhee Peppers. Bill spent his early years in East Tallassee, AL, and excelled in all academic areas. Much of his time as a teenager was spent swimming or skiing on Lake Martin.

In 1955 Bill enrolled at Auburn University pursing a BS degree in Forest Management; however, in 1956 he joined the U.S. Army and served his country for the next two years. The Army dropped the “S” from his last name, turning him from Peppers to Pepper. Bill was stationed with peacekeeping forces in Mainz, Germany on the Rhine River and was a veteran of the Korean War. After his Army stint, Bill returned to Auburn and graduated in 1959.

In 1967 Bill met Carol Lynn Jones at a dinner date at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC. They married one year later in June 1968 in the chapel of Central Methodist Church in Asheville. They moved to Raleigh, NC, where Bill completed his master’s degree in Forest Management, and in 1975 Bill was awarded his doctorate degree in Forest Biometrics at NC State University.

Bill’s career as a mathematical statistician began in 1966 with the USDA Department of Agriculture, where he served the Forest Service in both the Southeast region (Asheville and Athens) and the Southern region (New Orleans). Bill studied quantitative genetics, conducted statistical research and data analysis, and provided consulting services to forest scientists. His research helped develop experimental design, and many of his projects were published in national and international journals, papers, and other publications.

Along with his parents, Bill was preceded in death by an infant son, David Wayne Pepper, on March 1, 1974.

Bill is survived by his loving wife of nearly 57 years, Carol Jones Pepper, and their daughter, Joanna McGee Pepper. He is also survived by his brother, Charles Douglas Peppers (Edwina) of Tallassee, AL, nephew Will Peppers (Wendy), and great-nephew Charlie Peppers, all of Mt. Juliet, TN, and nieces Jessica Erin Peppers of Montgomery, AL, and Amanda Dexter (Kendall) and Katherine Pitman (John), both of Mobile, AL. Extended family includes sisters-in-law Sandra Lee (Chris) of Mobile, AL and Marsha Jones-Stills (Bernie) of Atlanta, and his brother-in-law and running partner, Stephen Wayne Jones (Diana) of Birmingham, AL. Last but not least, Bill is survived by his oldest and dearest friend, Richard Pegg of Brisbane, Australia, with whom he did his degree coursework at NC State. These two old mates have reached out to each other on their birthdays all these many years. Bill will miss Dick’s call later this month on April 29.

In accordance with Bill’s wishes, there will be no formal gatherings. Bill asked that memorial donations be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation, 200 SE 1st Street, Suite 800, Miami, FL 33131 or at parkinson.org ; or to the Chancel Choir Memorial Fund at Tuckston United Methodist Church, 4175 Lexington Road, Athens, GA, 30605.

Lord and Stephens Funeral Home, EAST, Athens, GA, is in charge of arrangements. www.lordandstephens.com