Billy Peavy

Billy Rawls Peavy went home to Jesus on August 14th, 2021 at the age of 89 in his hometown of Selma, Alabama. As a lifelong resident of Selma, Billy valued his family and friends most in life. As a young child he learned his way around town delivering papers and beginning a lifelong friendship with Sol Tepper Jr. Under the mentorship of his uncle, Bill Tolbert, he learned his incredible work ethic and how to fix just about anything. These skills led “Peavy” to be a staple in the Selma community working decades at Dallas Construction and as maintenance supervisor at Selma City Schools. He volunteered and answered the call to duty before graduating high school, and served his country in the U.S. Navy as a Gunners Mate Third Class on the USS Osbourne. He was honorably discharged in 1953 after serving in the Korean conflict. He was awarded with the China Service Medal, United Nations Medal and the Korean Service Medal.

Billy had a whirlwind romance and married his high school sweetheart Gladys Vernell (Nell) Griffin Peavy. After a few years of marriage they expanded their family and had two beautiful daughters; Belinda and Wanda.  Billy and Nell celebrated 67 years of devoted marriage on November 21, 2020. He supported his late daughter, Belinda in her Special Olympic competitions and made many memories fishing together. He never hesitated to drive to Texas, Florida, New Mexico or wherever the Air Force took his daughter Wanda’s family to help make a temporary house a home.  Billy insured he was there when his granddaughters’ caught their first fish and never turned down an opportunity to take them on a bike ride or crawl in a playhouse. Billy was always most at peace on the Alabama River and after retirement never missed a weekday coffee gathering with his buddies.

Billy is survived by his wife of 67 years, Gladys Vernell "Nell" Griffin Peavy; daughter Wanda Peavy (Bradley) Arnold; cousin, Annabelle Talbert Pearson; sister Evelyn Mims; granddaughters, Brooke Arnold (Bartholomew) Robinson and Katherine Arnold (Jonathan) Loyd and three great-grandchildren, Alexandra, Julia and Brayden.

In-person funeral services are not open to the public. The family invites you to join them online at http://WatchLawrence.live at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 18, 2021 to view the service. The service will be officiated by Rev. Tim Mathis and directed by Lawrence Brown-Service Funeral Home.

Honorary pallbearers will be Billy Boozer, Bud Crovato, Frank Middleton, Bill Pearson, Elton Ralston, Tom Sessions. Chuck Speir and Sol Tepper, Jr.

The family will accept flowers or you may consider making memorial donations to the American Heart Association; 10 Glenlake Parkway NE Suite 400; Atlanta, Georgia 30328 or online at heart.org