William Anthony Torrence
William Anthony Torrence, 80, of Lynchburg, VA, passed away surrounded by his loving family on Tuesday, October 27, 2026.
Born on August 12, 1946 in Lynchburg, VA, he was a son of the late Otis Torrence and Louise Wright Torrence.
William proudly served from 1966 to 1971 in the United States Navy aboard the USS Vesole DD-878 during the Vietnam War. Following his military service, he built a career as a Master Electrician before retiring. He was also attended New Chapel Baptist Church.
Above all, William cherished his family. His beloved wife of 57 years, Kathryn, was his lifelong companion, and together they enjoyed traveling to Tennessee and Williamsburg, making memories that would last a lifetime. William was a devoted husband, loving father, proud Papa and Great-Papa, and faithful friend whose life was marked by love for his family, service to his country, and the simple joys that made life special. He was also a loyal friend, the kind of person anyone would be fortunate to know.
William enjoyed many things throughout his life, including airplanes and air shows, NASCAR, UVA sports, and watching Survivor. In his later years, he developed a special appreciation for hummingbirds and the beauty of watching them in nature. He also had an impressive M&M memorabilia collection and a well-known sweet tooth for just about any kind of treat. These little things brought him joy and will remain fond memories for those who knew and loved him.
In addition to his parents, William was preceded in death by his brother, Kenny Torrence.
Left to cherish his memory are his beloved wife of 57 years, Kathy Torrence; his three children, Gena Callahan (Bill) of Rustburg, Tabatha Minnick (John) of Lynchburg, and Dean Torrence (Marykay) of Lynchburg; six grandchildren, William Roark (Ashley) of Halifax, Kaitlin Horn (Ryan) of Lynchburg, Kelsey Minnick of Lynchburg, Brett Torrence of Amherst, Kolin Minnick (Taylor) of Rustburg, and Emily Torrence of Amherst; and six great-grandchildren, Benjamin, Kaci-Lynn, MacKenzie and Sophie Horn of Lynchburg, and Ryleigh and Montana Roark of Halifax. He is also survived by his brother, Otis Wayne Torrence (Angie), and sister-in-law, Gale Torrence.
A funeral service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, at Whitten Timberlake Chapel, with Pastor Tim Dooley officiating. Interment will follow at Fort Hill Memorial Park, where American Legion Post 16 will attend to render final military honors. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the chapel.
The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to their Amedisys Hospice care team, a special thank you to Missy Floyd, Melissa Bates, Megan Gilmore-Saunders and Troy Mays for their compassionate care, kindness, and support, which brought comfort to William and his loved ones during his final days.
