William "Bill" Janes

William (Bill) Janes, a resident of Highland Farms Retirement Community, Black Mtn., NC, died on May 1st, 2026. He was born Oct. 27, 1929, in Jackson, Mississippi, the third and last child of Ford Brent Janes and Anne Lois Wilbur Janes. He was baptized and confirmed in the First Presbyterian Church of Jackson. Bill graduated from Vanderbilt University and Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, VA. He was ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA) in 1957 by the Kanawha Presbytery, Synod of West Virginia. 

Bill married Bette Ruth Austin of Chattanooga, TN in 1954. Together they raised five children, and they were married 51 years when Bette died in 2005.

Bill is survived by his son, Marshall Janes, and his daughters, Amelia, Joanna, Becki Janes, and Elizabeth White, and their spouses and companions, Molly, Paul, Nick, Mark, and Jim. Bill is survived by his three grandsons: Ethan and his wife Maribel and their two children, Florence and Diego; Titus; and Marshall and his partner Kadie.

Bill served as pastor of churches in West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, and North Carolina in a career spanning over 4 decades.

In 2007, Bill married Ruth Garrison Wilcox, and they were married until Ruth’s death in 2021. Bill and Ruth moved to Highland Farms in 2008. 

Bill was a scholar who spent much of his time studying the Word and the words of others who studied the Word. He wrote his thoughts and impressions regularly and, for many years, was a frequent contributor to the editorial pages of the local newspaper.

He was passionate about social justice and advocated his whole professional life for tolerance, kindness and generosity.

Bill was a lover of sport and music. He played intramural sports in college, loved any church league sport that was happening and golfed for most of the years of his life. He played flute in the marching band at Vandy, sang in choirs (and sometimes from the pulpit) and was known for bursting into silly songs in social settings - often old Sigma Nu ditties.

A service of worship will be held at Black Mountain Presbyterian Church, 117 Montreat Road, Black Mountain, NC, on Sunday, May 31st at 2 p.m. A reception will follow the service at the church. 

Gifts in memory may be made to Black Mountain Presbyterian Church,  https://onrealm.org/BlackMountainPr/-/go?page=donorform&givingFormUrl=HeleneReliefFund, 

Meals on Wheels  https://action.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/a/mowa-donationformms=ads_gs_search202504_b&source=ads_gs_search202504_b&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20508298452&gclid=Cj0KCQjwh-HPBhCIARIsAC0p3ce9OL6eISKukf-

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or Swannanoa Valley Ministry  https://www.svcmblackmountain.org/donatetoday.

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