Bill L. Bainbridge was born July 8, 1922, in Marion, to Lawrence and Lottie Mae (Eyre) Bainbridge. Having been born into a family of merchants, Bill was a WWII veteran who spent his life in the family jewelry business and was the great-grand-son of J.B. Bainbridge, an early pioneering Marion merchant.
He graduated from Marion High School in the Class of 1940 and then attended Bradley Tech in Peoria completing a Horology Course where he learned the skills of watch making, stone setting and engraving.
Bill joined the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1942 and trained as an airplane mechanic specializing in aircraft instruments. He spent time stateside in Texas, California and Idaho before being deployed to England and France during the war. He spent 21 months overseas and returned to the U.S. on September 13, 1945 for a 50 day leave.
While on leave, he married Miss Bettie Jane Steiner on October 24, 1945 at his parents’ home at 536 Thorne Place where he grew up.
Upon release from his service duty, his father made him a full partner in the Bainbridge Jewelry Store on January 3, 1946. Bill and his new bride then lived at 402 S. Calumet St.
Bill Bainbridge worked for his father, Lawrence, for more than 10 years before purchasing the Bainbridge Jewelry Store in 1954. His father, Lawrence Bainbridge, had worked under and learned the jewelry business from his father, James A. Bainbridge, who started the jewelry/optician business. James, of course, had learned to become a merchant through his father J.B. Bainbridge.
He was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Elks BPOE No. 800, longtime member of the Williamson County Jury Commission, longtime member and past president of Marion Lions Club, active in Lions Blindness Group, longtime member of Williamson County Airport Authority, and past president of Marion Chamber of Commerce.
He was instrumental in getting the VA Health Center to Marion and promoting Interstate 57 through Marion.
Bill sold the business to his daughter Charlotte Cash who continued running the family business until 1997 when that block of buildings was being cleared for construction of the new Marion Civic Center.
Billy L. Bainbridge, 74, of Bonita, Fla., died at 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 19, 1997, at Naples Community Hospital, Naples, Fla.
A memorial service was held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 26, 1997, in Goddard Chapel at Rose Hill Cemetery, Marion, with Rev. Mike Ebersohl officiating. There was no visitation. Memorials were to be made to the Lions Club International Eye Foundation.
Survivors included three daughters and one son-in-law, Charlotte J. Cash of Marion; Suzanne Bainbridge of Bonita Spring, Fla. and Paulette Goeff Vickery of Louisville, Ky., 10 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren; and one sister, Mary Winifred Hudgens.
Preceding him in death was infant daughter, Nanette Bainbridge.
Elizabeth Jane “Bettie” Bainbridge, age 84, formerly of Marion, passed away at 6:10am on Thursday, March 27, 2008 at North Naples Hospital in Naples, FL.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00am on Wednesday April 9, 2008 at the Goddard Chapel in Rose Hill Cemetery in Marion. Rev. Victor Long will officiate. Inurnment will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery in Marion.
Visitation will be held from 10:30-11:00am on Wednesday April 9, 2008 at the Goddard Chapel. Mitchell-Hughes Funeral Home in Marion is assisting the family with arrangements.
(Data extracted from Marion Daily Republican Obituaries; Williamson County’s Greatest Generation, Harry Boyd; 1989 Sesquicentennial History; compiled by Sam Lattuca on July/28/2013)