The funeral service for Colonel Leewell E. "Bill" Fairey, Jr., 83, will be held 11 o'clock, Monday, June 9th, at Shives Funeral Home, Colonial Chapel, 5202 Colonial Dr, Columbia, with The Rev. Cannon Charles M. Davis officiating. Burial will follow at Ft. Jackson National Cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

Colonel Fairey died Friday, June 6, 2014. Born in Branchville, SC, September 14, 1930, he was the son of the late Leewell Elmo Fairey, Sr. and Pauline Floyd Fairey. He graduated from Columbia High School. He was in the insurance industry for over 50 years. Bill served in the National Guard for 35 years, retiring as a Colonel. He served on the SC Insurance Commission Advisory Committee, Administrative Management Society, served as President of the National Guard Association of South Carolina, and on the Executive Council of the National Guard Association of the United States. Colonel Fairey was awarded the Order of the Palmetto by Governor Richard Riley in 1982, the highest civilian honor in South Carolina. He served on many other committees and boards.

Bill was a loving son, husband, father and grandfather, friend and a true officer and a gentleman.

Colonel Fairey was married to Anita C. Fairey for 57 years. He is also survived by his daughter, Lisa F. Leitner and her husband, Kleck, of Irmo; granddaughter, Kathryn "Kat" Leitner of Charleston; a sister and brother-in-law, Jackie and Mark Hagan of Altanta, GA; and brother-in-law, Sammy Crapps and his wife, Donna, of Columbia.

Memorials may be made to the South Carolina Military Museum, 1225 Bluff Rd, Columbia, SC 29201 or to the charity of one's choice.