WILLIAM JOSEPH STURGILL

William Joseph “Bill” Sturgill passed away September 27, 2023 at the age of 92.

Bill was a lawyer and business owner in Norton, Virginia for 60 years. He was in the pioneer class of students at Clinch Valley College and received his juris doctorate degree from the University of Richmond School of Law. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and owned Nationwide Insurance Agency before he started practicing law in 1963. He co-owned Bosco, Inc. and Flat Gap Mining Company until 1984 and currently owned First Choice Home Health. He was an organizer and former chairman of Black Diamond Savings Bank. He served on the Virginia State Bar Council and the Virginia State Bar Disciplinary Board for 12 years. He served on the UVA Wise College Board for 24 years and was Chairman for 11 years. He was recognized as the first ever college Volunteer of the year in 1989 and again in 2012 and he was Benefactor of the Year in 1990. The Wise County Chamber of Commerce honored him as Citizen of the Year in 1993 and he also received the President’s Award in 1999. He received the Appalachian Service Award from the Appalachian School of Law and was on the founding board. In 2003, he received the University of Virginia’s College at Wise Alumni Association, Meritorious Achievement Award and the William P. Kanto Award. He established three significant scholarships at UVA Wise including the Sturgill Family Athletic Fund, the Sturgill Merit Scholarship and the Susie Sturgill Athletic Scholarship. He also established the Sturgill Law Scholarship at the University of Richmond School of Law. ​​​​

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Kathleen Sturgill; his children, Susie and David Sturgill, his brothers, Tommy and Ben Sturgill.

Bill is survived by his wife, Gaye Sturgill of Johnson City, TN; son, Jeffery Sturgill and wife Kathy of Wise, daughter-in-law, Jennifer Potter Sturgill of Kingsport, TN; step-daughter,Stephanie Frye and husband Kevin of Frankfort, KY; brothers, Archie Sturgill and wife Wendy of Ocala, Florida and Ronald and Wife Barbara of Burlington, NC; sister in law, Eleanor Sturgill of Charlottesville, VA; grandchildren, Jennifer Sturgill Mullins and husband Jonathan of Wise, Will Sturgill and wife Tara of Wise, Courtney Makris and husband James of Lakeland, Florida, Logan Bond and husband Mark of Denver, Colorado, Bryan Sturgill of Kingsport, TN and Karen Sturgill of Kingsport, TN; great-grandchildren, William Sturgill, Reid Mullins, James Makris, Mikayla Makris and Braxton Frye.

The family will receive friends on Tuesday October 3, 2023 from 2-4 p.m. at Sturgill Funeral Home in Wise, VA. A private service will be held at a later date.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers memorial contributions be made to: Wise Baptist Church, P.O. Box 777, Wise, VA 24293.

Please visit www.sturgillfuneral.com to leave online condolences for the family.

Sturgill Funeral Home 1621 Norton Road SW Wise, VA 24293 is in charge of arrangements.