William Wilbur Counts

August 2, 1938 - April 24, 2020

Early Friday morning, April 24, 2020, the Lord called another soul from earthly labor to heavenly reward. William Wilbur Counts quietly breathed his last at his residence in Columbia, South Carolina. Born August 2, 1938, in Brooklyn, New York, he was the son of the late Stafford Counts and Mell Ealey. William proudly served his nation in the United States Army through three German tours, Vietnam, and Korea as well as domestic postings in Kentucky, Texas, Georgia, and New Mexico. He was also employed with the Department of Social Services for over thirty years until his retirement in 2004 as Treasurer of the National Welfare Fraud Department. After his retirement, he opened a tax preparation office, Counts Small Business Accounting, on Two Notch Road in Columbia. In addition to traveling , Munich was a favorite city, William enjoyed music (his favorite contemporary jazz artist was Sade), football (his favorite team was the Dallas Cowboys), and boxing(he was a former Golden Gloves Award winner). In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his life partner, the former Janie Dibble; a son, Gary Alphonso Counts; a brother, Stafford Counts, Jr.; a sister, Mina Barbara Ann Malone; and a nephew, Stafford Counts, III. He leaves to cherish precious memories a daughter, Janice Counts; two sons: Gregory W. Counts and Ronald W. (Barbara) Counts; eleven grandchildren: Christopher Counts, Gary Counts Jr., Bryce Counts, Clara Counts, Kierra Hunt, Stafford Counts, Jerome Hunt Jr., Darcus Counts, Corieana LaSueur, Jaida Weeden, and Jordan Counts; five great-grandchildren: Kylan Hunt, KaMiyah Hunt, MaKennzie Hymon, Makhi Hymon, and GeVayah L. Counts; a brother, Richard Malone; a sister, Dorothy White; and a host of other relatives and friends.