WILLIAM "BILL" STACY RANDALL

William "Bill" Stacy Randall, 93, of Panama City, died on Thursday, January 7, 2010. Bill was born July 18, 1916, in Newark, NJ, to the late George John Randall and Ada May Hammel of Orange, NJ. As a boy, Bill delivered sales circulars for his father and worked at the corner A&P. In 1933, Bill started his 45-year career at Prudential in the mail room. He attended night school at the Stearn Business School, NYU and played the trombone and bass in dance bands in NYC. He graduated with a degree in Business & Finance in 1939, and then served in the Army from 1941-1945. While stationed in Newport, RI in 1942, he married Eloise Chase and started a family. After the War, he returned to Prudential as a comptroller and was eventually the Director of Accounting and Financial Research for the entire company at the time of his retirement in 1982. While working for Prudential, he and his family lived in Newport, RI; Newark, NJ; Independence, MO; Houston, TX; and Boston, MA. During these years Bill also earned a CLU and MBA and was active in church and community outreach. Bill's generosity and commitment to public service were important parts of his character, and when he moved to Panama City Beach after his wife's death in 1987, he became a veritable community warrior. In 1996, he married Dorothy Daffin and they joined forces helping local community. He had leadership roles for the IRS – VITA Program; DUI Advisory Committee; Chemical Addiction Recovery Effort (CARE) Board; Community Health Task Force; and PCB AARP. In addition, Bill was a Bay Patriot and an active member of the Republican Executive Committee and Grace Episcopal Church. For his activism, Bill was awarded the PruCare Award and Jefferson Award in 2009. He was a friend, patriarch, mentor, cheerleader, financial planner, and comforter to friends and family.

Bill was preceded in death by his wife, Eloise May Chase Randall; son, Wayne Chase Randall; sister, Jeanette Pickel; brother George Randall; sister, Mary Rebecca Freideman; grandson-in-law, Chris Gailfoil.

Bill is survived by his beloved wife Dorothy LaRue Daffin Randall. He is also survived by his daughter Susan Nelson and Hilding of Panama City; son, Jonathan William Randall and Denise of Plymouth, MA; brother, Harris Bogart Randall and Delores of Meridan, CT; grandchildren: Joseph Randall and Yumi; Amy Randall and Mathew Reed; William Nelson and Jenny; Michelle Jensen and Vin; Ingrid Nelson; great grandchildren: Blake Randall, Zeiler and Zaria Randall-Reed, Claire and Henry Nelson; and the Dorothy Daffin family: Anne Daffin Harris and Carl of Panama City; Charles Hall Daffin and Ino of Charlotte, NC; Melinda Daffin Henningfield and Wayne of Medford, OR; grandchildren: Michael and Deana Gailfoil, Shawn Harris, Leighanne Vasaquez and Javier, Rachel and Thomas Holbert; Wendy and Steffan Eichenberger; great grandchildren: Kimberly and Jennifer Gailfoil, Hannah and Jacob Eichenberger.

Bill Randall's family would like to thank friends and family in Bay Country and throughout the country for their love and support, especially Dr. Sydney A. Daffin.

A memorial service for Bill Randall will be held 10 a.m. Monday at Grace Episcopal Church at 9101 Panama City Beach Parkway. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Chemical Addiction Recovery Effort (CARE) or Grace Episcopal Church.

Wilson Funeral Home