Commander William J. Rivers (US Navy, Ret.)

Commander William Jacocks Rivers, Sr. (US Navy, Ret.), 93, of Leesburg, GA, died January 12, 2014 at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital. Funeral services will be held Thursday, January 16, 2014 at 11:00 AM at Mathews Funeral Home. The Rev'd. Freeman G. Cross, Jr. will officiate. Interment will follow in Leesburg Cemetery with military honors.

Commander Rivers was born May 28, 1920 at 521 Holly St., Columbia, SC to the late Wilfred Wilson Rivers, Sr and Gertrude Sessons Jacocks Rivers. He moved to Albany, GA in February of 1926 and graduated from Albany High School in June of 1937. He graduated from Georgia Tech in Atlanta, GA with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and was a member of The Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity.

He studied Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering at the United States Naval Academy Postgraduate School. He was commissioned an Ensign in the United States Navy on November 5, 1941 as an Engineering Duty Officer. He served in the US Navy for twenty three years including the Pacific Theatre during World War II and retired as a Commander. Commander Rivers married Lt. Jessie Willis, ANC on March 3, 1944 in Honolulu, HI. He and Jessie enjoyed world travel and since William's second retirement in 1986 from the Lee County School system, they had traveled from the top of the world, the North Pole to the bottom of the world, Antarctica, to all seven continents and cruised on most of the major rivers of the world. They took a total of over seventy foreign trips in the past twenty years. Poor health ended their foreign travels in January of 1997.

After his retirement from the Navy in 1964, he joined the Lee County School System from 1964 until 1986 as a high school teacher of mathematics and mechanical drawing. Commander Rivers was an administrator serving under the Lee County Superintendent, Dr. Robert A. Clay and earned a masters degree from Valdosta State College in 1972.

He was a lifetime member of the US Power Squadrons, the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Retired Officers Association. He taught boating safety for twenty six years in Albany, GA and completed all advanced courses in the Power Squadrons. He was also a member of the Golden Key Club and the Audubon Society. During his life time, he attended St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Albany, GA and The Church of The Holy Spirit in Dawson, GA.

Commander Rivers is predeceased by his wife Jessie Willis Rivers, a daughter, Mary Elisabeth Rivers, two sons, William Jacocks Rivers and William James Rivers and a brother, Wilfred Wilson Rivers, Jr.

He is survived by a son, Wilfred Wilson Rivers of Burleson, TX, a daughter, Suzanne Rivers Purvis of Leesburg, GA seven grandchildren, fourteen great-grandchildren, a sister, Emily Rivers Linder of Palm Bay, FL and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends Wednesday, January 15, 2014 from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM at Mathews Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to The Church of The Holy Spirit, 1170 Georgia Ave., SE, Dawson, GA, 39842, The Diabetes Association, P O Box 70638, Albany, GA, 31708 or to your favorite charity.

Mathews Funeral Home
Albany, GA
229-435-5657