William C. Garner, 96, died May 12, 2017.

Bill was born June 16, 1920 in Polk County.

His infant daughter, Laura Kay; his wife, Dottie (in 2005), and his wife, Donna (in 2014); and seven siblings, preceded him in death.

His sister, Helen Swindle of Ft. Oglethorpe; numerous nieces and nephews; and various other relatives, also survive.

Spending most of his life in the military, Bill enlisted in the United States Army on June 4, 1940, and served until Aug. 10, 1945, in the 654th Tank Destroyer Battalion.

He fought from Normandy, through Bastogne, the Bulge and the Ardennes.

After World War II, Bill left the service of his country for a period to work in private industry.

He then joined the U.S. Air Force, serving both in the U.S. and South America and taking part in Operation Ivy, the detonation of the first hydrogen bomb exploded by the U.S. in 1952 on Eniwetok Atoll in the Pacific. After retiring from the USAF, Bill joined the Georgia Air National Guard, serving with them at Dobbins Air Force Base until July of 1976.

Services were held at 11 a.m. May 16 at Ingram Funeral Home in Cumming.

Contributions, in lieu of flowers, were requested made to the Forsyth County Veterans Alliance, c/o Harold G. Light, 6533 Valley Street Way, Cumming, GA 30040.

Ingram Funeral Home and Crematory of Cumming was in charge of the arrangements.