William David “Bill” Ramsbottom of Amelia Island, FL passed away on Friday July 30, 2021 at Baptist Medical Center-Nassau.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Monday, August 9, 2021 at 12 pm at the Chapel of Amelia Island Plantation.
He will be laid to rest beside his beloved wife in a private family service.
Bill was born in Fall River, Massachusetts on October 12, 1938 to the late John Dana Ramsbottom and the late Barbara “Gaye” Rooney Ramsbottom. He graduated from Tabor Academy in Marion, Massachusetts. Bill received his Bachelor of Science in Textile Engineering in 1960, from Georgia Tech, where he was a member of Ramblin’ Wreck Club, Student Council (4 Years) and President of ATO Social Fraternity. He also worked two years in the family cotton merchandising business in Memphis, Tennessee. He moved to Macon, Georgia to work for Bibb Manufacturing Company, a textile manufacturer, in 1962. Mr. Ramsbottom held several different positions with the Bibb Company and in 1968, he was appointed to the Marketing Division where he was responsible for various phases of the carpet yarn and apparel business and sold the production of five mills. He also worked for Bibb in conjunction with Allied Chemical and Dupont on a new prototype mill in Forsyth, Georgia for developing bulk continuous filament nylon for the shag carpeting trade.
Mr. Ramsbottom entered the real estate business in 1970 as Vice President/Sales Manager and a member of the Board of Directors for Fickling & Walker in Macon, a position he held for 5 years. In 1975, he started his own firm, The Ramsbottom Company, which specializes in all aspects of commercial and investment real estate properties. He worked on projects in retail and office development, site selection, build-to-suit, shopping center development, investment partnership and commercial brokerage. Mr. Ramsbottom purchased and developed a number of properties including shopping centers with Kroger, Food-Max, Piggly Wiggly, K-Mart, Wal-Mart, Walgreen’s, Stein Mart, Blockbuster, Eckerd, Bell South Mobility, CVS Drugs and other tenants.
In 1976, Mr. Ramsbottom was granted the prestigious CCIM Degree from the National Association of Realtors. He was a senior instructor for 24 years with the CCIM Institute of the National Association of Realtors in Chicago. He has held every appointed and elected office for the CCIM Institute from Faculty Chairperson, Education Chairman, Finance Chairman, Budget Chairman, First and Second Vice President, as well as being National President in 1993. Mr. Ramsbottom has served on the National Association of Realtors Executive Committee and Board of Directors. He was also a member of the Governing Council of the CCIM Institute. Mr. Ramsbottom is a Life Member of the Middle Georgia Board of Realtors Million Dollar Club. In 1986, 1991, 1996, and 2001 he was awarded the Eagle, Phoenix, Silver, and Crystal Awards that represent 10, 15, 20, and 25 consecutive years respectively as a member. Mr. Ramsbottom has received the Macon Board of Realtors “Transaction of the Year” Award for 1977, 1982, 1986, 1989, 1996. Mr. Ramsbottom has been Board Chairman of the Macon Chapter of the American Red Cross. He served on the Board of Directors for several organizations including of the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce, The United Givers Fund Campaign, The Idle Hour Country Club, Macon Civic Club and Stratford Academy. He was a Founder of the First Presbyterian Day School, Chairman and member of the Board of Deacons of the First Presbyterian Church of Macon. In 1998, Mr. Ramsbottom was inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Engineering Alumni of Georgia Tech College of Engineering.

Mr. Ramsbottom was predeceased by his beloved wife of 40 years, Bonnie P Ramsbottom; brothers, J. Dana Ramsbottom, Jr. of Gainesville, GA, Robert M. Ramsbottom of Fitchburg MA, sisters Joan R. Andrews of New Haven CT and Elaine Ramsbottom Peebles of Greenville SC. He is survived by three children; Karen R. Parrott (Stephen) of Spartanburg, SC, Bonnie R. Best of Alpharetta, GA and William D. “Billy” Ramsbottom, Jr. (Nicole) of Macon, GA, brother, Donald H. Ramsbottom (Rohlat) of Portsmouth RI, sister in law; Patricia (James) Bryant of Saraland, AL, eight grandchildren; Jessica Lyle Parrott, Samuel Price Parrott and Bonnie Elizabeth Parrott; Tucker Bennett Best and Sara Diana Best; Kerry Sloane Ramsbottom, Kathryn London Ramsbottom and Tres Ann Ramsbottom; and his work family, Donna Fandry and George Eichler. The family would like to thank his handpicked care takers for their faithfulness and compassion: Jane Moore, Robin Hallmark and Jacquelyn Krajewski.
Memorial gifts may be sent to: Amelia Plantation Chapel, Inc, PO Box 8014, Amelia Island, FL 32034, or First Presbyterian Church, 682 Mulberry Street, Macon, GA 31210 or Georgia Institute of Technology, Office of Development, College of Engineering, 177 North Avenue, NW, Atlanta, GA 30332-0220.
Those wishing to live stream his service on August 9th may go to https://livestream.com/ameliachapel/memorials