William Henry (Bill) Touchberry

William Henry (Bill) Touchberry, son of Henry Monroe and Elizabeth Wellons Touchberry was born on February 9, 1937 in Vidalia Georgia and has passed on to the gracious hands of our dear Lord on Feb. 2, 2016. Bill is survived by his loving wife Betty of 56 years, their eldest son Scott, his wife Jill and their two sons Christopher and Nathaniel; Dwight his wife Laurie, their son Garren and daughter Shawn; daughter Fran Marsh, her husband John, their son Ethan and daughter Cara. He was married to Betty Jane Calvez on October 30, 1959. Bill graduated from Walter Williams HS in Burlington, NC, and attended Elon University for one year prior to signing up for the Naval Reserve, where he served his country for two years as a Photographers Mate at Kingston Naval air base in Texas then aboard the U.S.S. Bennington in San Diego. It was during this time that he met Betty at a VFW dance in Alice Texas. They married on October 30, 1959 in San Diego, CA. After completing his obligation to the Navy in 1960, he started his career with General Dynamics Astronautics as a photographer. He continued this line of work for Atlantic Research Corp. and later after moving to Greensboro, North Carolina, for the Police Department as a photographic specialist. Bill continued to search for more ways to utilize his expertise and transferred to Corning Glass Works in Raleigh. Bill decided to start his own photography business in 1976 for which he is most known for as Bill Touchberry Photography located in North Raleigh. As Bill grew his business, he became involved and believed in the growth and guidance in youth sports being a founding member in the Raleigh Youth Football Federation and other youth programs in the early 1970s. Bill was a firm believer in the benefits of Scouting and started a very successful troop with the help of many key members of the Raleigh community. During Bills leadership his troop successfully helped 35 Scouts attain their Eagle rank including his sons Scott and Dwight. He and Betty also gave as much attention to his daughter Frans growth in community activities including her love of horseback riding and Girl Scouts. Among other civic and professional awards, Bill was recognized with Scoutings Silver Beaver in 2007 and the Sanderson High School Athletic Club Hall of Fame. Bill was also honored by his Scout Troop 353 by the funding and naming of the trading post after him for the renovated Grand Lodge at Camp Durant. During his life across the country and in Raleigh Bill was dedicated to his faith and beliefs in Jesus Christ. The family will receive friends on Friday, Feb 5,  from 5:30-7:30 pm at Bryan-Lee Funeral Home, 831 Wake Forest Road, Raleigh NC 27604. Funeral services will be at Trinity Baptist Church, 4815 Six Forks Road, Raleigh, NC on Saturday, February 6th, at 11am. Interment service will be at Raleigh Memorial Park the same day afterwards. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Occoneechee Council Boy Scouts of America, Trinity Baptist Church or Hospice of Wake County.