Obituary
William Joseph Warfel born October 5, 1935 and died July 21, 2024, in Ocala, Florida succumbing to pancreatic cancer after living fully for 88 years. A Birmingham native, he grew up on Clairmont Avenue and loved being one of the “triangle boys.” He attended Lakeview Elementary School and Ramsay High School. His father took him to The University of the South on the Mountain Goat train -site unseen- on a cold February day and started an affection for Sewanee that endured throughout his life. After Sewanee, he joined the US Navy serving on the USS Bordelon and developed a fascination and expertise in military history. Returning to Birmingham he worked for Beaver Clearing Company before starting his own, Antietam Industries, with a fleet of butterscotch pickup trucks selected because they were so ugly no one would steal them.
After the navy, he returned to Birmingham, where his many friends and Phi Delta Theta fraternity brothers laid the foundation for the Two Bit dogfight at the Birmingham Country Club where he was a member for many years. From Pinehurst to Casa de Campo, he played golf in as many places and as many days a week as possible, pretty much shooting his age from 75 years old until he stopped playing recently. He was known for the famous pickle putter that he employed until the pickle putter could putt no more.
Dancing with his sister’s friends, he became a fantastic jitter bugger and amassed a top-40 collection of “toe tappers” from the 50’s on 45’s with his portable hi-fi that he schlepped around until the 1980’s when it was finally retired. He loved quips, puns, one-liners and bad jokes, many of which could be shared (but not all) in mixed company. Quotes from movies like Casablanca and Dirty Harry were always woven into conversation. Snoopy, the Red Baron, always made him smile. He generally loved all dogs, but especially dachshunds, starting with Winkie and ending with, Stonewall and Jackson. He recalled memories of water skiing during summer school at the University of Alabama and always cheered for The Tide, holding season tickets until they left Legion Field. Not much made him happier than a T-bone steak or spumoni ice cream.
He retired to Ocala to be in horse country and made a new set friends and golf buddies hitting the links and playing senior tournaments. He gave up his favorite cashmere sweaters in exchange for shorts, golf shirts and the sacred, “holey” sneakers. Occasionally returning to Birmingham, he kept in touch with longtime friends and felt the loss of so many recently.
Proceeded in death by his parents Edith McLewis Warfel and William Carroll Warfel, he is survived by his daughter Ashley Warfel Schottland (Paul) and granddaughters Edith Terrell Huberty (Matt), and Margaret Ashley Terrell all of Dallas. Also survived by his sister Shirely Warfel Price of Montgomery and his wife, Janice, of 34 years in Ocala, her daughter Ashley Keebler Spinks (Brian), and her daughter Katelyn in Birmingham.
He often said, “It’s either going to be a photo finish or an oil painting!” The end came quickly, but he leaves a rich canvass of memories and laughs with the sun at his back.
In lieu of flowers, please direct memorials to the USO www.uso.org/donate or to The University of the South, 735 University Avenue, Sewanee, TN 37383 supporting Abbo’s Alley https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/4563/donations/new
Leave a reply