William Fletcher Nettles, III

Don’t blame this obituary on anyone but me. I, William Fletcher Nettles, III, known as Billy to most, wrote it myself so the truth can be told.
I was born September 28, 1936, in the old Camden Hospital on Fair Street and died February 26, 2026, after a half-assed battle with COPD, which was never that big a deal. Until the end.
The best thing that happened to me was in 1961 when I married Moylan Lansdale DuVal, Molly, to all, whom I affectionately called Doll. She took great care of me up until the time of this obituary. Sure, we had our ups and downs. Most of it was her fault!
We had 64 good years, and not many people can say that.
My parents, both deceased, were Mary Primrose Johnston Nettles and William Fletcher Nettles, Jr. My mother was born in St. George, S.C., and my father in Foreston, S.C., and he was brought to Camden as a child. My sister, Mary Primrose Nettles Green (Jimmy), whom we called Sister, pre-deceased me.
I had a wonderful life. I was a student at Camden public schools, graduating in 1954. I lettered two years in baseball and football. I wasn’t the best player, but I enjoyed playing with the big boys.
Off to Wofford College, where I graduated in 1958 after having more fun than can be imagined. I was a Wofford Terrier cheerleader and that got me in lots of trouble. It was all worth it! I was the Captain of the ROTC band (we weren’t very good). I have tried to keep up with my Wofford friends throughout the years, but, like me, they are almost all gone.
After graduation from Wofford, I reported to Fort Benning as an ROTC Second Lieutenant in the Infantry. Believe it or not, I enjoyed that. I was a pretty good soldier.
After the Army, I went into the retail furniture business with my father. The furniture store was called W.F. Nettles and Son. I was the third generation to work there. We also had a small Savings and Loan called Fidelity Building and Loan.
Molly and I have three children that we are proud of: William Fletcher Nettles, IV (Liz), Elizabeth DuVal Crotty (Jerry) and Sarah Brennen Nettles (Mark). They did a very good job of raising six grandchildren. Bill and Liz have a son, James Fletcher Nettles. Elizabeth and Jerry have two children, Kathleen Marie Crotty (Gabriel), and one son, Patrick Crotty. Brennen has three children: Katharine Brennen Cwiklinski, Elizabeth McRae Skipper, and Benjamin Gabriel Westfall.
At the time this obituary is published, we have three great-grandchildren – Nora, Asher, Cecilia and another on the way, Sylvia.
I had a great time with all my in-laws. Molly’s sister Kitty and her husband Henry put up with me and never let on when I was too much. While they were family, Kitty and Henry have always been great friends to us. We were fortunate to have many nieces and nephews. They are about the same age as our children, and they were raised within a few blocks of each other. Life was interesting!
After we retired, Molly and I spent time crisscrossing the United States and made several trips to Europe. We spent seven summers in Maine, working as tour guides for the passengers on the ships that came into Bar Harbor. We lived in a campground in a camper that had an exhaust fan in the bathroom. We met lots of local folks and enjoyed their company—especially the lobster fishermen who would leave lobsters in our fridge if we weren’t home. The rumors that I took cases of cigarettes north each Spring to the lobstermen are just that: rumors.
I was a member and past president of Camden Rotary Club, past president of the South Carolina League of Savings Institutions. Later, I was hired, then fired, by this organization, which ended up not being a bad thing. My friend Guy Hutchins and I founded a local bank and had a great time doing it.
In closing, I would like to say goodbye to my friends, old and new, the ones I drank coffee with, the ones I drank wine with, my Thursday Lunch Bunch, and all the good folks at Grace Church, Springdale Hall Club, Sam’s Club and the exclusive Foxes Den Club.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, March 7, 2026, at 11:00 A.M. at Lyttleton Street United Methodist Church, Camden, South Carolina. Father Pickett Wall will officiate. Kornegay Funeral Home will oversee arrangements. In lieu of flowers, please make a gift to Grace Episcopal Church, 1315 Lyttleton Street, Camden, SC 29020, or the charity of your choice.

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