William M. Dishman, Jr., a member of one of Knox County’s most distinguished families and longtime friend of the Knox Historical Museum, passed away 29 November 2016 at the age of 80. Whenever business occasioned a return to Barbourville from his home in Danville, Kentucky, where he practiced law for some 48 years, Bill made it a point to visit the museum. As museum staff member David Cole recently observed, former residents who return to find downtown Barbourville changed and adjusted to the times can find the Barbourville of their memories at the museum. Bill often would spend several hours talking and reminiscing with the editor and museum staff about his family and his earlier years in town.
A future issue of the museum’s magazine, The Knox Countian, will include a tribute and family history written by Bill Dishman a couple of decades ago.
The family named the Knox Historical Museum for contributions in memory of Bill Dishman. We are grateful to the family and especially thank Mrs. Dishman, Janelle Hogg Dishman, for this honor, the first time the museum has been mentioned for memorial contributions.
The museum received a substantial grant from the Lily Foundation of Wayne, Pennsylvania, in memory of William M. Dishman and fifteen of Bill’s friends and associates sent donation checks to the museum as tributes to Mr. Dishman.
Dishman, William McGeorge
William Dishman
1936-2016
William McGeorge Dishman, Jr., 80, of Danville, passed away Tuesday [29 November 2016] at Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center in Danville. He was born in Barbourville, Kentucky on March 16, 1936, to the late William and Mary Hughes Dishman and is survived by his loving wife of 38 years, Janelle Hogg Dishman.
Bill graduated from Barbourville City High School in 1954; Centre College in 1958, Cum Laude and as Valedictorian; and the University of Kentucky College of Law in 1961. He also served as a First Lieutenant in the United States Army Reserve.
He practiced law for 48 years with Silliman, Dishman and Nickels, and of Counsel with Sheehan, Barnett, Dean, Pennington, Little, Dexter Tucker, and Thornberry. He served as general counsel for Inter-County Rural Electric Cooperative and was also a director of The Old Bank and later the Bank of Danville.
A member of First Christian Church, he was an Elder Emeritus and Trustee Emeritus. He served on the boards of the Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center Foundation and the Salvation Army. He was a member of the Danville Country Club, the Lexington Cotillion and The Old Goat’s Club.
Also surviving is a son, William McGeorge Dishman III (Amy) of Goshen, Ky.; two daughters, Beth Connolly (William) of Naperville, Illinois and Cindy Tripp (Rick) of Terrace Park, Ohio; seven grandchildren, Bell Wetherby Dishman, Caroline Speed Dishman, William Connolly III (Kate), Andrew Connolly (Alyssa), Matthew Connolly (Molly), Kila Tripp, and Charles Tripp; two great-grandchildren, Caroline and Henry Connolly; numerous nieces and nephews; and two special nieces, Jane McNeil and Janet McAlister.
William was preceded in death by his parents, brother, Ulmont Taylor, and a sister, Lily Dishman Bangert.
Funeral services will be at 12 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, 2016, at First Christian Church with Dr. Mickey Anders and Rev. Jim Stewart officiating. Burial in Bellevue Cemetery.
Visitation will be Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016, from 4-6 p.m. at Preston Pruitt Spurlin Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be Hugh Gates Hines, Jay Reynolds, Logan Young, William Connolly, Rick Tripp, Charlie Tripp, and Rory McNeil. Honorary pallbearers are Kelley Deaton, Jim Gibson, Hugh Hines, Walter Major, Julian Mitchell, Robert Lewis, Vince Pennington, Nelson Rodes, and Howard Hunt.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Salvation Army and The Knox County Historical Museum, 196 Daniel Boone Dr., Barbourville, Ky. 40906. www.prestonpruitt.com
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/kentucky/obituary.aspx?pid=18286390