William Brownfield, Jr., age 85, passed away on May 4, 2026, at
Cornerstone Hospice House, The Villages, Florida. He was preceded in death by his
parents, Charles William, Sr. and Lillian Brownfield, and his brother, John Brownfield.
He is survived by his wife, Linda, his children Erin (Don) in CA, Christopher (Angela) in Wilmington, NC, Elizabeth in Portland, OR and Ryan (Katie) in Columbus, OH and two stepdaughters, Michele in GA and Kimberly in FL. Also surviving are Bill’s brother Thomas (Cathy) in OH, Sal (Eve) in GA, and his sister Margi in VT. Bill is also survived by his six grandchildren: Brooke, Nate, Wade, Nick, Lilly, and Ellie.
Bill had a brilliant and creative mind – a true Renaissance man. He was an avid reader of the classics and history and he was well-versed in medical science and space exploration. Bill mesmerized his friends with colorful, animated stories of his many adventures and travels. Bill was a Vietnam veteran and a man of diverse talents and interests, who enjoyed life
keenly and was beloved by his family and friends. Through the ups and downs of life, Bill maintained an optimistic approach and a generous, enthusiastic spirit.
He attended Grandview Heights High School, where he honed his baseball and football skills. He continued playing both sports at Miami University in Oxford, OH while he earned an undergraduate degree in Economics. He pledged Beta Theta Pi, where he made some of the most important and longest-lasting friendships of life. He was the lead singer of “Roogie and the Ravens,” a band that performed at college campuses throughout the Midwest during his college years. After graduating from Miami, Bill joined the Navy and married Mary Mosley before his assignment to Vietnam.
As a Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Bill served in the Caribbean before being assigned to a mine sweeper in Vietnam. Later, he led operations Civic Action Support as a Civic Liaison Officer in Da Nang and served his country during the TET Offensive. After his naval service, Bill attended George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C. where he graduated in 1971 with a Juris Doctorate degree, with honors.
Upon graduation, Bill and Mary moved from Arlington, VA to Bill’s hometown of Columbus, OH, where they lived for three decades, were involved with their community and church, and raised four children. Bill was an Assistant District Attorney and eventually formed his own law firm. He was a talented trial attorney who championed several high-profile court cases, including a First Amendment case heard by the Supreme Court. One of his notable accomplishments was his role in the 1976 preservation of the historic Union Station Arch, now a beloved Columbus landmark. To save it from demolition, he delivered a last-minute injunction to the construction site, dramatically haling work moments before the Arch was destroyed by a wrecking ball.
Bill loved fly-fishing at Briarwood Sporting Club with his children and friends, exploring nature and hiking with his family throughout Ohio’s state parks. The family frequently vacationed in Sanibel Island, Kiawah, and visited many National Parks in the west. He was an avid OSU Buckeye fan and an enthusiastic golfer. He painted in oils, gifted note cards to family and friends of his pencil sketches of their homes, wrote poetry, and possessed a rare musical gift of playing and composing music by ear on the piano , without instruction or having the ability to read music. Bill frequently astonished listeners by playing any song without sheet music, on any available piano.
He later remarried Carol Brown, and lived with her for several years in Williamsburg, Virginia. Wherever he lived, he loved working in his garden to create beautiful spaces filled with plants and flowers-a passion he passed on to his children.
In retirement, he relocated to The Villages and married Linda Rose, a longtime friend
whom Bill had known for 50 years before they married. They shared 16 loving and
happy years together, enjoying driveway parties with neighbors, golf and golf cart rides in the neighborhood, strolling nature trails, visiting museums and gardens, dinners out, and their two dogs, Riley and Maya. Bill’s love for playing the piano continued throughout his life. He was frequently found on his piano or keyboard in the home he shared with Linda, or entertaining patients and seniors in hospital lobbies and assisted living facilities.
Bill will be dearly missed, but his legacy lives on in the values he imparted to his family and friends through his wisdom, love and laughter.
A Memorial Service will be held at Beyers Funeral Home and Crematory, 134 North HWY 27/441, Lady Lake, FL on Wednesday, November 4, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. The inurnment at Florida National Cemetery with Military Honors will take place at a later date.