William Thomas Leinmiller, 92 of Ellijay, Georgia died May 27, 2024. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio to William Leo Leinmiller and Cecilia Grace Callahan Leinmiller. He lived in metro Atlanta until making his home in Ellijay in the mid-80's.

Bill Leinmiller was best known for his striking white hair and beard, his many stories, his service to others and his letters. You accumulate a lot of stories in 92 years, especially if you go on adventures, and Bill had many. As a young boy growing up in Atlanta, Bill experienced key events like the premiere of "Gone with the Wind" at the Lowes Grand and seeing the Ellis Hotel the morning after its notorious fire while riding the bus to school. From teaching Navy pilots during the Korean war how to find their aircraft carrier in the middle of the Pacific to teaching them how to operate the primitive first LINK flight simulators. From fishing trips in the Bahamas during hurricane season to exploring in Alaska. And through his many adventures with Boy Scouts, there were LOTS of stories.

What is impressive is the number of plaques, trophies and certificates lauding Bill for the service and leadership he provided to others. Some highlights include:

• Commander of Atlanta Power Squadron where he taught boating safety, piloting and celestial navigation.

• District Award of Merit, Foothills District, Atlanta Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, for his outstanding service.

• Chairman, Gilmer County Family Connection Commission

Bill's largest contributions to the Ellijay community come from his 25+ years serving with the Ellijay Lions Club. He put in almost as many volunteer hours in retirement as he did working hours prior to retiring. Bill found his purpose and drive in helping the underprivileged obtain eye and hearing exams, eyeglasses, and hearing aids. He treasured his opportunities to work with The Georgia Lions Lighthouse, Kids Cottage, and Family Connections. He loved contributing to the Ellijay Apple Festival and the White Cane campaign. Bill's list of Lions leadership roles and awards at the local, district and national level would fill this page. Suffice it to say that he found his calling through service with the Ellijay Lions.

You never had to wonder where you stood with Bill; his letters are legendary. If he thought highly of you or something you had done, you got a letter. If you screwed something up, you would also get a letter. His letters were encouraging, animated and highly descriptive. In this era of instant messaging and email, it was always special to see one of his envelopes in your mailbox.

Bill is survived by his love of over 30 years, Mary Lee; also by children Kathleen, Mark, Theresa, David, Elizabeth, James, 14 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and many dear friends who will miss him deeply.

There will be a celebration of Bill Leinmiller's life at Logan Funeral Home, Ellijay, GA on Saturday, June 29, 2024 at 2:00pm in the Logan Funeral Home pavilion, the family will recieve friends from 1:00pm until 2:000pm at the Logan Funeral Home. He will be interred at the North Georgia National Cemetery in a private family ceremony. If you would like to do something nice in Bill's name, please donate to St. Jude's Children's Hospital. Here is the link to Bill's memorial fund: https://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR?px=8420259&fr_id=154020&pg=personal