Georgia CommonsSR 1036: Finch, Deacon Willie David "Bill"; condolences
Last action March 27, 2026 · Senate Read and Adopted
A Georgia Senate resolution honors the life of Deacon Willie David "Bill" Finch of Forest Park, who died on March 15, 2026, and directs a copy be sent to his family.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the resolution and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Enrolled version, the latest LegiScan holds.
In plain language
This resolution is a formal statement from the Georgia Senate marking the death of Deacon Willie David "Bill" Finch, a longtime resident of Forest Park in Clayton County who died on March 15, 2026. The text recounts his life, including being one of the first two African American men to own a Gulf Oil gas station in Georgia, helping his son become the first Black athlete to integrate Forest Park athletics, and being the first Black man to coach Little League Baseball in the area. The resolution does not change any Georgia law. It simply expresses the Senate's condolences to his family and directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare a copy of the resolution for distribution to them.
What the bill does
- Formally expresses the Georgia Senate's regret over the death of Deacon Willie David "Bill" Finch.
- Recounts his life history, family, and community contributions in Forest Park and Clayton County.
- Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and send a copy of the resolution to his family.
Who it affects
This resolution directly concerns the family of Deacon Willie David "Bill" Finch and the Forest Park and Clayton County communities where he lived. It has no regulatory or legal effect on the general public.
Why it matters
The resolution carries no legal or financial consequences; it is a ceremonial gesture. Its significance is symbolic, offering public recognition from the Georgia Senate of a local figure's life and contributions to his community.
Key provisions
- The resolution's opening section states the Senate's purpose of honoring Deacon Willie David "Bill" Finch's life and memory.
- The first resolving clause formally expresses the Senate's regret at his passing.
- The second resolving clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to make a copy available to his family.
From the bill
“he was the first of two African American men to own a Gulf Oil Gas Station in the State of Georgia”
“the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to the family”
Status timeline
- Senate Read and Adopted (Senate)
- Senate Hopper (Senate)
Sponsors
- Gail Davenport (D, SD-017)
- Donzella James (D, SD-028)
- Emanuel Jones (D, SD-010)
- Tonya Anderson (D, SD-043)
Topics
- condolence resolution
- Forest Park Georgia
- Clayton County history
- Georgia Senate