William E. “Bill” Twaddell, Minister, previously Founding Minister of the Fairway Christian Church of The Villages, was born July 10, 1934 in Danville, Kentucky to Floyd Ellsworth and Lucile T. (English) Twaddell, he passed away on September 17, 2017 in Mansfield, Ohio.
He was married to Norma Jean “Jeannie” Leedy Twaddell on January 16, 1954. Bill graduated from Henry Clay High School in Lexington, Kentucky, attended the University of Kentucky, the College of Music in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Cincinnati Bible Seminary, he received his AB and MA Degrees from Lexington Christian Bible College, Lexington, Kentucky. His many ministries included; Minister of Music, Chase Avenue Church of Christ 1953, Cincinnati, Ohio, Indian Creek Christian Church 1955-1959, First Church of Christ (aka Lake Eustis Christian Church) Eustis, Florida 1959 – 1964, First Christian Church, Cocoa Beach, Florida 1964-1968, Peachcrest Christian Church, Decatur, Georgia 1968-1974, Dekalb Christian Church, Lithonia, Georgia 1974-1975, Lakeview Christian Church, Apopka, Florida 1975-1981.
Bill founded the Church Development Fund of Florida, Inc. in 1981 aka Christian Financial Resources and served as a member of the original board and then as Executive Director/President until January 1998. He retired as the Founding Minister of the Fairway Christian of The Villages, Florida, April 1998 – April 1, 2010.
Bill’s other ministry opportunities included; teaching music, Pauline Epistles and coaching basketball at Lexington Christian Bible College, Lexington, Kentucky, Led music and preached more then 30 revivals. Led in the planting of seven new congregations, he personally led and preached for three. He was one of the co-founding minister of Central Florida New Church Evangelism, Florida Christian Convention; Florida Christian Benevolent Foundation, a founding member of the Board of Directors of Double Vision, Inc. Bill was Past President of Central Florida New Church Evangelism; Florida Christian Convention; Florida Christian Benevolent Foundation, a past member of the Board of Directors of the Church Development Fund of Florida, North American Christian Convention Continuation Committee. Bill established the first Bible Bowl program in Florida, was a past Trustee of the Christian Benevolent Foundation. He taught one semester in Practical Ministries at Central Florida Bible College, aka Johnson University-Florida. He was a past member of the Christian Progress Publishing Committee (Florida) and a guest lecturer at Cincinnati Bible College & Seminary, Atlanta Christian College, Ozark Christian College and Florida Christian College.
Bill is survived by his wife, Jeannie, his children; William E. Twaddell Jr. of Bowen, Illinois, Dawn Linnea Claibourne of Winchester, Ohio, Tracy D. Twaddell of West Palm Beach, Florida and Camela J. Bates of Anderson, Indiana, his brother; Robert L. Twaddell of Kennesaw, Georgia, his grandchildren; William E. Twaddell III, Autumn L. Schullian, Shane D. Twaddell, D. Leah King, Anya L. Masse, Cody D. Twaddell, Ashton N. Twaddell, Kara E. Twaddell, Micah T. Claibourne, Katie E. Shadoan, Ethan Bates and Lauryn Bates, his great grandchildren; William E. (Liam) Twaddell IV, Caleb J. Twaddell, Paxton Schullian and Noah M. Twaddell, as well as many nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.
Memorial services will be held in the Fairway Christian Church on Saturday October 21, 2017 at 2 p.m. Time to greet the family will be available from 12:30 until the service hour.
In lieu of flowers, please send a contribution to Johnson University Florida, 1011 Bill Beck Blvd., Kissimmee, FL 34733, for the Bill Twaddell Preaching Scholarship
