Auburn University Professor Emeritus, William Pitts Lloyd, 64, of Panama City, passed away Thursday, July 12, 2012 in his home.
Professor Lloyd is survived by his widow, June Cooper Lloyd; his mother, Mrs. R.L. Lloyd; two sons, William P Lloyd Jr. (Jennifer) and Jon Robert Lloyd (Nancy). Bill leaves 5 grandchildren, William Pitts Lloyd III (Trae), Cameron Lloyd, Jon Robert Lloyd Jr., Kristen Miller, and Allison Miller. Bill leaves a brother, Rayford Lowe Lloyd, Jr. (Eugenia) and a sister, Kay Lloyd Edwards (Tom). He also leaves a brother-in-law, Glenn Cooper (Sylvia) and sister-in-law, Joyce Cooper. Several cousins also survive including Jeanne Rutherford Bayless. Several nieces and nephews, Lisa Hamlin, Sherrill Brown, Elizabeth Russell, Tom Edwards, RJ Cooper, Courtney Cooper, Matthew Cooper, and Paige Whitaker survive Bill. He also leaves many great nieces and nephews. His father, Rayford Lowe Lloyd, preceded Professor Lloyd in death in 1967. Bill graduated from Bay High School in 1966.

In his academic career:
Bill received his undergraduate degree with honors from the University of Florida, in 1969 and his Doctorate at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana in 1973. His major was finance with minors in statistics, and operations research. He received an NDEA Title IV fellowship 1969-1970. Indiana University Fellowship, 1970-1972. He was selected as the Outstanding Graduate Professor School of Business, Auburn University Spring and summer 1981. Corporate Finance was his area of expertise and he was published in many journals such as The Harvard Business Review. His publication list includes more than 50 business journals such as the Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Journal of Portfolio Management and the Journal of Finance. Professor Lloyd was an Associate Instructor at Indiana University 1970-1972. He was an Assistant and an Associate Professor at the University of Georgia from 1973-1979. He finished his academic career at Auburn University for 19 years where he was Associate Dean of the College of Business for Academic Affairs at Auburn 1988-1990. He was the Liberty National Torch Professor of Finance, a chaired position from 1983-86. He was head of the Department of Finance from 1986-1988. In 1997, he was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the College of Business.

In 1979, with a business partner, he was one of the founding owners of Water Ski Shows, Inc. This led to the development of Dixie Stampede Dinner Theatres. The business currently operates in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, Branson, Missouri, and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. There are approximately 750 employees between the three locations. In 2011, Bill attended the grand opening of Pirates Voyage in Myrtle Beach, which superseded the former Dixie Stampede there. Dolly Parton came across the arena to give him a hug and later wrote him a Christmas letter thanking him for his work on the Imagination Library. The business plans to open a location in the Florida Panhandle in the next two years.

He was an entrepreneur with a big heart. The Dollywood Imagination Library is another of his favorite projects and he was instrumental in helping fund the seed money for this foundation. The Imagination Library has provided over 40 million free books to preschool age children.
In addition Bill directed the family to fund private scholarship help to outstanding students who needed just a small boost to make their academic dreams become a reality. Meeting these young high achievers and being able to help in a small way was a source of pride in the years of his treatments.

He retired to Panama City, his hometown in 1997, and became active on the board of the Anchorage Children's Home, The Bay Medical Center Foundation, and the Junior Museum. His greatest pride was his two years of volunteer work in helping refurbish the Cove School Building on Hamilton Avenue. It is now the home of the Holy Nativity Episcopal School. Father Tom Weller became one of his closest friends during this project.
The family would also like to appreciate the help of Cindy Hall and Sonya Sellers.
In April 2010, the Holy Nativity School Foundation Board honored Bill by naming the Cove School Building the Bill Lloyd Building.

Bill was never happier than when participating in activities with his family. Baseball games, tubing at Blue Pond or fishing for Red Fish were truly the special events in his life because the family was there.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday at the First United Methodist Church of Panama City with Father Tom Weller and Rev. Steve Rascoe officiating. The family will receive friends at the church on Monday from 10 – 11 a.m. prior to the service.
Asked to serve as pallbearers are: Tim Percival, Glenn Cooper Jr., Rayford Lloyd Jr., Dr. John Jahera, Fred Hardwick III and Jim Rule.

Those desiring to make an honorarium are encouraged to support the Holy Nativity School Foundation at 205 Hamilton Avenue in Panama City, First United Methodist Church or the charity of your choice. Bill always said every day was a "beautiful day." Maybe your actions can help make it a "beautiful day," for others.

Wilson Funeral Home