William Manly Barefoot, known to many as Bill, Billy, or Will, 69, of Stanardsville, Virginia, passed away on January 2, 2026, at the Heritage Inn of Charlottesville, Virginia.

Bill was born on September 21, 1956, in Boston, Massachusetts, to William Jefferson Barefoot Jr. and Anna Cobb Barefoot. He grew up in Annandale, Virginia, before attending Madison College (currently James Madison University), earning a Bachelor’s degree in Communications.

Following college, Bill spent time in Springfield and Alexandria, Virginia, before moving to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to work at Best Products. After nine years in Pennsylvania, he was relocated to their Charlottesville, Virginia location, settling in Greene County.

After his time with Best Products, Bill worked briefly for Circuit City before finding his long-term professional home at GE Fanuc. He dedicated the majority of his career to the company and continued his service after its acquisition by Emerson. In January 2023 he started his well-earned retirement.

Bill helped take care of his father and mother later in life, in North Carolina and Virginia both. He looked forward to spending time with his mother at the Renaissance Assisted Living Center in Stanardsville prior to her passing and developed many rewarding relationships with the residents and staff during that time.

Bill had a deep love for sports and pop culture. A lifelong fan of the Washington Commanders (formerly the Redskins) and his hometown Boston Red Sox, as well as the North Carolina Tarheels and Virginia Cavaliers, he rarely missed an opportunity to watch a game. An avid golfer, he especially cherished time spent on the course with his three sons. Music was another passion, and The Boss, Bruce Springsteen, was always his favorite. Bill also appreciated a good beer, lively conversation at his favorite bar, and a well-prepared cut of meat.

Bill will be remembered for his love of family, loyalty to his favorite teams, and the many friendships he formed over a lifetime of shared stories, laughter, and meaningful conversation.

Bill is survived by his sons, Billy Barefoot, Christopher Barefoot (wife April), Sean Barefoot (wife Emily), his brother Jefferson Barefoot (wife Cecilia); as well as a number of grandchildren, nieces, and cousins.

Bill was preceded in death by William Jefferson Barefoot Jr. and Anna Cobb Barefoot.

The family would also like to thank the Heritage Inn for the hospitality and care.

A celebration of life to honor Bill will be held on January 16th in the Lewis and Clark Room at the Residence Inn - Downtown Charlottesville from 2:00-4:00 PM.

Compassionate Cremation Services of Ruckersville, Virginia is handling the arrangements. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to ReadyKids, a youth and families nonprofit in Charlottesville, VA.