William "Bill" H. Burrell

William “Bill” Hiram Burrell, 87, of Spartanburg, South Carolina, passed away peacefully on Saturday, May 3, 2025.

Born in Spartanburg, Bill was the beloved son of the late Ralph Burrell and Alma Baker Burrell. He was preceded in death by his wife of 25 years, Florence Burrell, and his sisters Brenda Harle and Evelyn Cantrell.

Bill is survived by his sisters Hazel Burrell and Pam Fouche (Clarence); nieces Melinda Cantrell, Rebecca Hillman (Mike); nephews Sterling Harle (Kelly), Reubin Harle Jr (Lan Anh), Brian Fouche (Michelle), Joe Fouche (Xiao Mei Zhu), and Bill Cantrell; stepsons Brooke Smith (Susan) and Eddie Smith; and grandson Jonathan Smith.

A proud Clemson Tiger, Bill earned his B.S. in Chemistry and had a distinguished career as a chemist with the Commonwealth of Virginia Environmental Science Lab.

He served honorably in the United States Army and Army Reserves for 13 years, achieving the rank of captain as an Artillery and Missile Officer. His lifelong passion for math was evident in his military specialty and personal interests, often working through calculus problems or using his collection of slide rules.

Bill’s interests were diverse. He was an avid reader with a private library of over 4,500 books, enjoyed genealogy, and loved traveling the world with Florence to places such as Tahiti, Hawaii, Panama, the Amazon, and China. He had a fondness for Star Wars, decorating his Christmas tree with themed ornaments, and a love for all things chocolate.

In his later years, Bill found joy in the companionship of Linus, a stray dog who became his cherished first pet as an adult.

Despite the challenges of dementia, Bill’s sharp mind and gentle spirit remained, sharing moments with family and working on newspaper crosswords with Florence until they became too difficult.

The family extends heartfelt thanks to the nurses and staff of Upstate Community Hospice House in Landrum, SC, for their compassionate care.

Arrangements are entrusted to Floyd Greenlawn Chapel. Bill’s memory will live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved him.