Manchester - William C. (Billy) Bryant, 82, of Manchester, went home to be with our Lord Jesus on Saturday, July 25, 2009. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 28, 2009, at Manchester First Baptist Church with entombment in Meriwether Memory Gardens according to Cox Funeral Home, Manchester. Visitation will be from 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.Mr. Bryant was born December 23, 1926 in Athens, the son of Clinton and Annie Wood Bryant. After his mother's death, he was raised by his step-mother, Osa Williamson Bryant and his father. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1944 and served aboard the USS Salamaua. His ship earned four battle stars during World War II. He married Mary Landrum of Athens in 1953. When he and his family moved to Manchester in 1959, he served as founder and president of Manchester Veneer Company for 30 years. In 1960, he organized a men's softball team sponsored by the veneer mill. Over the next 25 years, this softball team won 82 percent of more than 2,000 games played, including one 1978 World Championship in New York City, six state championships, finished in national top ten four times and won 16 city league championships. Besides his love for softball, he was an avid Georgia Bulldog supporter and recruiter during the Dooley years. After selling Manchester Veneer Company, he served as the editor of the Manchester Star Mercury, Meriwether Vindicator and Talbotton New Era for more than 17 years. During these years, he served his community in many capacities and was a lifetime deacon at First Baptist Church in Manchester. Mr. Bryant is survived by his wife, Mary Landrum Bryant of Manchester; two daughters, Debra Bryant Stanford and her husband, Danny, of Cumming, Jennifer Bryant Bishop of Columbus; two sons, William David Bryant of Manchester, Jeffrey Ray Bryant and his wife, Cindy, of Villa Rica, GA; one brother, Eugene (Sara) Bryant of Snellville; five grandchildren, Faith Stanford Michaels and her husband, Dan, of Alpharetta, Ric Bishop of Kennesaw, Jena Bishop of Columbus, Angel Fuller of Warm Springs, Jamie Bryant of Villa Rica; one great grandchild, Jared Michaels of Alpharetta.