William S. Overton III ’56

Bill died April 17, 2025, in Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.

He came to Princeton from Boyden High School in Salisbury, N.C., on an NROTC scholarship, joined Tower Club, majored in basic engineering, and, presciently, wrote his thesis on “Automation.” Four years in the Navy followed, including duty in Spain. There he met his future wife from Scotland, Wilma MacDonald, with whom he had five children. Bill’s early business years were in marketing with Procter & Gamble but most of his career was with ECS, a textile manufacturing company in rural Tennessee that he owned and operated as chief executive.

In later years, Bill and his second wife, Toni Kelly, became deeply involved in Tennessee Walking Horses, owning horses, hiring trainers, and participating in shows (with Toni regularly beating Bill). Toni preceded Bill in death after 40 years together as did a newborn infant Karen. Bill is survived by daughters Lindsay, Kendall, and Tracy; son William IV; and six grandchildren. His children remember him for “a life that was richly and unapologetically lived.”