William H. (Bill) Southwood, Jr.

William H. (Bill) Southwood, Jr., departed our earthly world peacefully at the age of 80, with his wife, Carol, by his side at their home in Atlanta, Georgia.

Born in Washington, DC, he was the first of three children born to William H. Southwood, Sr., and Ruth E. Southwood. Bill’s parents were officers in The Salvation Army (TSA), stationed in many different locales during Bill’s younger years. Once Bill got to Atlanta, however, he decided it was home and graduated from Grady High School (now Midtown High School) in the same neighborhood where he ultimately lived with Carol for almost 40 years.

Bill enlisted in the United States Army in 1965. After spending time at the U.S. Armed Forces School of Music in Virginia, he was stationed in Atlanta and played in the Third Army Band at Fort McPherson before serving overseas in Germany, completing his service.

Bill was a gifted musician and known throughout TSA and the brass band world for his beautiful tone on both the cornet and flugelhorn. In addition to his time in the military, he played in TSA’s Southern Territorial Band, the Georgia Divisional Band, and the Atlanta Temple Band for many years, and later with the Georgia Brass Band (GBB), among numerous other bands and ensembles. He was also an accomplished vocalist and sang in multiple TSA vocal groups, as well as with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus and the choir at his last home church, Morningside Presbyterian Church (MPC). In his professional life, he also worked for TSA’s Metro Atlanta and Georgia Division until he retired.

Bill was always a wonderful example of how to be a member of a musical group. He absolutely had high standards and ideas about how things should be done–they should be done the right way (and yes, he thought there was a right way to do things). At the same time, he was quick with an encouraging word, a joke or a mischievous smile, and children were drawn to him and loved him. As one of his friends recently conveyed: “… ‘a thing of beauty is a joy forever,’ and Bill’s beautiful life and influence will continue to reverberate in the lives of his family and friends, and all those with whom he came into contact.”

There is also no doubt that Bill was comforted by the promise that God permits nothing in life or in death to separate us from the steadfast love that created us. He is now where he wanted to be.

Bill was predeceased by his parents, his younger brother, John Charles (Chuck), and his son, William H. (Billy) Southwood, III. He is survived by Carol, his wife of 41 years, his sister, Nancy (Sam) Henry; his sisters-in-law, Connie Southwood (Chuck’s wife) and Janet Hipp (Jim) Etue; his nieces Lesley Henry (Clint) Tate, Christy (Brad) Sarna, and Jennifer (Bernie) Hearn, and nephews Erik (Mechelle) Henry, Matthew (Amy) Southwood, Jon Paul (Michelle) Cleveland, and Jim (Tricia) Etue, together with many great-nieces and nephews, cousins and friends.

A service of witness to the resurrection will be held at Morningside Presbyterian Church in Atlanta on Saturday, September 12, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. A livestream link will be available to those who may wish to participate in the service from a distance.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to three different groups which were important to Bill: 

(1) to The Gift of Music Foundation (established by one of his friends from the GBB as a non-profit organization dedicated to creating greater access to musical instruments and education for students.)

(2) to MPC (to directly contribute to the continuing work of its music programs that meant so much to him through the drop-down at this link: https://onrealm.org/MorningsidePres/-/form/give/now and selecting “Memorial or In Honor of” and adding his name to the Memo field on that page is the easiest way.) 

(3) to TSA (to assist with programs assisting young TSA musicians in Georgia, by mailing a check to The Salvation Army Georgia Division, 1000 Center Place, Norcross, GA 30093, ATT: Daniel Meeks/John Zanders, with WHSouthwood – Divisional Music Programs, on the memo line of the check.)