William "Bill" David Hancock

William “Bill” David Hancock, 82, of Warner Robins, Georgia, passed away at home on Saturday, April 1, 2023. He was born November 24, 1940, in Macon, Georgia to John William Hancock and Virginia Witherington Hancock. He was the grandson of John and Emilu Miller Hancock of Macon and Jeptha and Lillie Belle Jessup Witherington of Dexter, Georgia. 

Bill grew up in Macon and lived 60 years there. He attended Lanier High School, where he was President of his fraternity, first-chair clarinet, and leader of a dance band that he formed. After Lanier, he proudly served in the US Navy on a destroyer ship as leading radioman. This led to a lifetime hobby as a ham radio operator, and he enjoyed communicating with people all around the world, including notable politicians in the U.S. and royalty in foreign countries. His early interest in music parlayed into a lifetime love of all the great jazz bands and singers; his number one favorite jazz musician was Chet Baker. 

Upon leaving the Navy, Bill attended Middle Georgia College in Cochran, Georgia Southern in Statesboro, then landed at the University of Georgia where he majored in Business Administration. While in Athens, Bill developed a passion for the DAWGS that never went away, and he thoroughly enjoyed every single UGA football game, including the last two National Championship games. He was very excited to learn that Stetson Bennett was his wife’s fifth cousin. 

Later Bill purchased the family business, Bibb Printing Company, a business started at the turn of the century by his grandfather John Hancock, from his parents. He worked very hard in the business, implementing new trends and innovative strategies, multiplying revenues ten-fold under his leadership. 

In 2001, Bill met and married the love of his life, Jan Wells Hancock. He left his long-time home in Macon and moved to Lake Blackshear near Cordele, where he spent many happy years with Jan, enjoying the country life, boating on the lake, and making many new friends. In 2016, he and Jan moved to Bonaire, Georgia to be near her children and grandchildren. By this time, Bill had retired and settled into his new life making new friends in the area, and reconnecting with old friends in Macon. In 2023, Bill and Jan moved into their forever home at Statham’s Landing, where they planned to spend their remaining years enjoying the Golf Club community. Bill did not play golf, but he looked forward to them purchasing a golf cart soon just for him to tool around in. He and Jan, mere days before his death, had started searching for an older Mercedes Roadster convertible, and he was excited about the prospect of driving it, renewing memories he had of a previous Roadster. 

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, and a treasured son, David Theodore Hancock. He is survived by his loving wife Jan, who did her best to take care of him in his declining years; his daughter, Alicia Tonnon (Ryan) of San Antonio, who was his heart; step-daughters, Robyn Rogers and Julie Wiley (Shawn) of Warner Robins; grandson, Russell Lamb (Logan) of Greenville, TN; granddaughter, Hope Hancock of Milledgeville; step-grandchildren, Leah Pifer (Ben) of Dublin, VA; step-grands, Collin and Addie Lee Wiley of Warner Robins; step-great-grands, Sophia and Sawyer Pifer of Dublin, VA. In addition, he is survived by a sister, Ginger Ellington (Calvin) of Cumming, GA; a niece, Lisa Ellington Campbell (Paul) of Cumming, nephew Todd Ellington of Atlanta, and great-nephew Ethan Campbell, of Cumming. 

Services will be held Saturday, April 15 at 2:00 pm in Sardis-Heard Funeral Home on Houston Rd. in Bibb County. Private burial will follow in the Hancock family plot at Rose Hill Cemetery in Macon. 

Please visit www.sardisheardfunerals.com to express your condolences.

Sardis-Heard Funeral Home, 6125 Houston Road, Macon, Georgia, 31216, has charge of the arrangements.

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