Booth, William Samuel
William Samuel Booth (August 25, 1954 – December 13, 2023) An icon is defined as a person widely admired especially for having great influence or significance in a particular sphere. For many William Samuel Booth rose to fit that description.
On December 13, 2023 after an exhausting year William slipped from this earth into the heavenly presence of God to join his parents, long passed friends and family and especially his sister so they could continue the decades long argument of who is their parents favorite child.
Born in Dublin, Va to William and Clara Booth, William came into a huge extended loving family of trailblazers. William or Sam as he was widely called by his family, excelled at school with honors as well as in theater, sang in the choir and played well in the band graduating near the top of his class from Dublin High School in 1972. From there William enrolled at Emory & Henry college where he continued been an active participant of the community and campus. He was a male member of the cheerleading team, he worked on the school handbook and the newspaper, sang in the the school and church choir as well as was also was a member of Theta Chi Epsilon fraternity and the Blue Key Honor fraternity.
After graduating with honors from Emory & Henry college in 1976, William gravitated to a decades long stellar career in horsing. He was a horseback riding instructor as well as a national and regional competitor in the show horses arena as well as helping launch a regionally renowned horse stable.
Around the late 90’s William eventually started moving fullsteam into what would be his other life fueling passion getting involved with his life mission of helping people and being a friend that was thought of as family to many clients and peers. He filled many roles that led him to constantly travel around mostly the midwest but all over the country as an educator, counselor, organizer, lobbyist and all of the above advocate for mostly HIV and AIDS Awareness that was his main thing that he was mostly known for as well as LGBTQ, low income and minority issues for numerous organizations lastly mostly with AIDS Healthcare Foundation. Despite garnering much praise and accolades, William preferred to stay close to the ground counseling those who many in society had marginalized or forgotten about.This unique ability is why so many considered him a member of their family. His impact will continue on long after him.
William was preceded in death by his parents, William and Clara Booth and his sister, Sharon. He is survived by his adoring nephews Bryan Booth and Antwain Booth. Great nephews JaWaune and Amarion and 2 great-great nephews and a great-great niece. He is also survived by some very close friends who were like blood family. Many awesome cousins and relatives as well as many who claim him as their own family whom may have only had a few moments with him.
In lieu of the holidays and in recognition of Williams huge presence in multiple areas, a memorial service will be held in both Dublin, Virginia where he grew up and Dayton, Ohio where he lived and left a wide mark. In Dublin, Virginia, a service will be held January 7th, 2024 at 2pm at the Dublin United Methodist Church. A service will be held in the middle of January in the Dayton, Ohio area and details will be announced soon. There will also be in the coming future a celebration event in the Dayton area to help launch foundational and scholarship opportunities in William’s name to carry on his legacy and his mission. More will be announced in the coming weeks. We greatly appreciate all the memories shared with us regarding William’s life and we aim to not let his work die out.
Locally announced for the family by Bower Funeral Homes, Pulaski.