William Irwin Berryhill, Jr.

William Irwin Berryhill, Jr., 83, Retired Chief United States Marshal for the Eastern District of North

Carolina, passed away on Saturday, October 5, 2024.

“Bill” or known by many as “Bugg” or “The Marshal” was born April 19, 1941, in Raleigh, NC to the late

William Irwin Berryhill, Sr. and Mildred Crabtree Berryhill. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Denning

Berryhill; his two sons William Irwin Berryhill, III (Colleen Dow) and Caswell Drake Berryhill (Melissa

Boyd); and granddaughter Reagan Elisabeth Berryhill.

He was a 1959 graduate of Needham Broughton High School and a 1963 graduate of the University of

North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Following employment with North Carolina National Bank and First Citizens Bank & Trust Company, he

served as Treasurer for the successful 1972 U.S Senate campaign of Jesse Helms. He subsequently

became the first Executive Director of the original North Carolina Congressional Club in 1973 followed

by appointment to the congressional staff of U.S Senator Jesse Helms in 1975, serving constituents

throughout eastern North Carolina.

In 1981, upon recommendation from Senator Helms, Bill was appointed by President Ronald Reagan,

and unanimously confirmed by the U.S Senate, as Chief United States Marshal for the Eastern District of

North Carolina. During his stint as Marshal, he won multiple training awards and served on a number of

Law Enforcement and Congressional Advisory committees. Upon retirement from the Marshal’s Service

in 1999, Marshal Berryhill became the second longest tenured U.S Marshal in the history of North

Carolina’s Eastern District.

Bill had a passion for our State and Nation’s history and served in an array of historical associations

dedicated to preserving and sharing knowledge and artifacts, including the North Carolina Society of the

Cincinnati. And, he was equally passionate about his love for surf fishing on the Outer Banks of North

Carolina having belonged to multiple surf fishing clubs and associations, including the Outer Banks

Preservation Association, and served as an official advisor to the NC Marine Fisheries Commission.

A graveside service will be held on Friday, October 11, 2024, at 1:00pm at Montlawn Memorial Park

located at 2911 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh, NC 27603.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Outer Banks Preservation Association at

www.obpa.org .