William M. Camp Jr.
Published 5:11 pm Thursday, March 22, 2018
CARRSVILLE — William McCutcheon Camp Jr., 90, died on March 20, 2018, at his home, Holliknoll Farm, in Carrsville, Virginia.
Mr. Camp was the son of the late William M. Camp and Edith Clay Camp of Franklin, Virginia. He was also predeceased by a younger brother, L. Clay Camp of Charlottesville, Virginia.
He is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Shirlie Steinbach Camp; four children, Carrie Luanne Camp (Thomas Crowder,) Frances Hollis Camp, Edith Clay Camp and William M. Camp III (Cammie Caison Camp;) and eight grandchildren, Mason Camp-Crowder, West Camp-Crowder, Bennett Camp-Crowder, Mac Morecock, Hollis Camp, Hugh Camp, Henry Camp and Chris Camp.
Mr. Camp graduated from Woodberry Forest School, Orange, Virginia, in 1946, and was a member of the University of Virginia Class of 1951 and Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity. He served on the University of Virginia Board of Visitors from 1982 to 1990.
He was a lifelong member of Franklin Baptist Church in Franklin and served on its Board of Deacons.
Mr. Camp was born in Franklin on Election Day in 1927. Active politically with both parties at times, he was most proud to say he was a lifelong Virginia Democrat. He served as an elected supervisor of Isle of Wight County and on that county’s Welfare Board.
In the early ’60s, during the height of the Cold War, he represented Virginia in a Goodwill Agri-Business tour of Russia. He also served on the Virginia State Chamber of Commerce.
He was a member of the first Pari-Mutuel Racing Study Commission appointed by then-Governor Linwood Holton, and became an integral leader in ultimately getting the racing legislation passed in 1989.
Mr. Camp was very supportive of his community and served on the local Board of the Virginia National Bank/Sovran Bank, the Camp Foundation Board (50-plus years,) the Carrie S. Camp Foundation Board and the William M. Camp Foundation Board. He was co-founder of the Franklin Chapter of Planned Parenthood after seeing first-hand the community need for this service on the Isle of Wight Welfare Board.
Mr. Camp was involved in several real estate and farming businesses. He loved his farm where he raised crops, cattle and Standard-bred race horses. He bred and raced many fine trotters and pacers, most notable of which was Nansemond, who won a leg of the Pacing Triple Crown, The Little Brown Jug in 1971, defeating the world champion, Albatross. Nansemond’s win is still considered the greatest upset in harness racing history.
Burial will be in Poplar Spring Cemetery in Franklin. The funeral and graveside service will be private.
Viewing will take place on Friday in Wright Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Franklin Baptist Church, 208 N. High St., Franklin, VA 23851.
www.wrightfuneralhome.org.