Gilbert William Runge Kingsbury Jr.

gilbert kingsbury jr.

March 10, 1942 – March 10, 2021
(Bill, Dad, Poppy, Granddad)
Born in Covington, Kentucky on March 10, 1942 to Gil Kingsbury & Sylvia Phillips Kingsbury, he graduated from Beechwood High in Fort Mitchell and then Centre College of Kentucky with a degree in Economics. He received a Master of Urban and Regional Planning from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and attended the University of Kentucky College of Law.

Throughout his distinguished career, Bill Kingsbury left footprints across Kentucky, Colorado, and Georgia. He was called upon to initiate and lead public and private organizations to accomplish major projects aimed to improve communities and individuals. He always stood out with his unique knowledge and skills to assist communities and the private sector through establishing economically sound improvement programs for parks, industrial sites, resorts, hotels, airports, campgrounds, retail development, roadways, urban planning, site planning, development regulations, and housing. He was a leader in his church, served multiple years as President of Rivermist Homeowners Association in Lilburn, and just prior to his illness he served three years as President of Olde Hickory Village Homeowners Association. At the time of his death, Bill was Chairman of the Snellville Georgia Planning Commission, Secretary of the Snellville Downtown Development Authority, and the principal advisor to obtain an affordable senior housing development for Snellville United Methodist Church. A dear, loving, and gentle man, he had an unwavering deep faith, quiet strength, and love for God, family, friends, civic, community, and the ROMEOS. Wherever was his home, he was actively engaged.

Diagnosed with Triple Hit Diffuse Large B-Cell Non-Hodgins Lymphoma in 2016, Bill fought and won an incredibly difficult battle resulting in a bone marrow stem cell transplant in 2018. The ebb and flow of the threat of cancer’s return, the new diagnosis of an extremely rare blood disorder (Acquired Hemophilia A) in August 2021, heart failure, multiple hospitalizations, and a tragic fall on March 6 causing two brain bleeds that finally took their toll, and God took the wheel on the day of his 79th birthday. Throughout it all, his grace and determination never wavered.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his first love, Ann Adkins Kingsbury, whom he married in 1964. He is survived by his last love, Shaysha (Shirley) Davidson Kingsbury, whom he married in 2006, and their blended families: his daughter Beth Duncan (Eddie) of Charleston, SC, his son Mark Kingsbury (Nadeen) of Sydney, Australia, his stepson Lonnie Ford (Toody) of Jackson, MS, his stepdaughter Melanie Freeman of Snellville, GA, seven grandchildren (Rachel, Conor, Vera, Jessica, Emily, Allen, Michael) and 4 great-grands.

The family wishes to extend their gratitude to the Kaiser Foundation, Hemophilia of Georgia, the medical teams at Kaiser Permanente, Emory St. Joseph, Blood and Bone Marrow of GA, Emory Midtown, and especially, to Northside Gwinnett Trauma Center and Grady Trauma Center for all the emergency care provided during Bill’s final days. His birthday gift of sight to the Eye Bank Association of Georgia
will let life bloom for four recipients and research.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Snellville United Methodist Church on April 3 at 2:00 pm. Interment will follow in Conyers, GA, on Monday, April 5 at 1pm, at Honey Creek Woodlands located among the Monastery of the Holy Spirit’s 2,300 acres and adjacent to the 40,000-acre Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area.

Memorial donations may be made to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society www.lls.org , Hemophilia of Georgia www.HoG.org , or to Snellville United Methodist Church www.snellvilleumc.org
.

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  1. Barbara LeRoux says:

    This is a beautiful tribute for a very accomplished man.
    My condolences.

  2. Mary Jane Mullins Ervin says:

    So thankful to have met him in Cleveland, MS on your return visit for your High School Reunion Shirley. He was so interested in the wedding dress you had made in 1968 for my wedding!! May God’s comfort surround you.
    Mary Jane Mullins Ervin

  3. Joyce Spraggs says:

    A wonderful tribute to Bill’s life. He was so fortunate to have a wonderful woman in his life. Shaysha, may God continue to be with you.

  4. Rafiq Ukani says:

    Very sad to hear. I served with Bill in Snellville DDA and got to know him. He was an asset to our community. He will be truly missed. May his soul rest in eternal peace, my condolences and prayers for the family. 😢

  5. J Ruth Gamble says:

    So sorry for your loss. Bill was a great leader in our community (OHV) here in Snellville, GA. Shaysha has also been a great leader and a great companion, wife & soulmate to her husband. Bill will be missed greatly! We thank God for his life & his time spent with us as a neighbor & friend. RIP dear friend. With love, Ruth Gamble

  6. Leigh Stephens says:

    Thinking of you during this difficult time.

  7. Sakenna says:

    May God watch over and protect your family. Thank for your service and life well lived.

  8. Bobby Mayfield says:

    I am so glad I met and befriended Bill, he was very dedicated to all he decided to do. He will be greatly missed and fondly remembered.

  9. Kathleen Dewhirst says:

    I thoroughly enjoyed working with Bill on the Fort Collins DDA. He was funny and charming, smart and knowledgeable, and he created a warm work atmosphere where creativity bloomed. I was so pleased to see how happy he was with you, Shaysha. My most sincere condolences.

  10. Beth and Randy Wagner says:

    Dearest Shaysha, Beth and family, Bill was so strong spiritually and physically. I was always in amazement in continued activitie despite what he was going thru. He never let on if he felt bad. We are so blessed in our lives to have known him. He definitely left a mark in our lives. I know you all have a huge hole in your hearts. Know we are surrounding all of you with our love and prayers. ❤️😢

  11. Diana Schulz says:

    I am so sad to say good bye to Bill. We were good buddies when we were young especially at family gatherings. We were good friends as we grew up and went in different directions after we were married.

  12. MARY ARCZYNSKI MCGEE says:

    Dearest Shaysha and family members,
    What a sad time and great loss of your dear Bill. Anyone who knew Bill would know that he was filled with the Holy Spirit by his unselfish giving of himself. His very nature was sweet and calm, but obviously he had a strong core and character to accomplish wonderful things professionally and within the church community. He remained true to his good nature despite his physical suffering. Heavenly angels will rejoice to have Bill join them. May our heavenly Father comfort you in your time of grieving and healing.

  13. Sandy Reiter says:

    What a wonderful man! Bill’s contributions greatly benefitted neighborhoods, communities, friends and family. What love story! How fortunate we all are to have known him.

  14. William Megaro says:

    Will miss my friend Bill. Shaysha, praying for you.

  15. Joyce Hudspeth says:

    Bill was a kind, tender hearted man. He and his sweet wife Shaysha became an important addition to our neighborhood as soon as they moved here. It is with deep regret that I did not spend more time with both of them. I know that Bill is not suffering anymore and that he is well and in perfect peace with his Lord and Savior. He will be greatly missed here.


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