NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. — A beloved Nassau County community member lost his COVID-19 battle in September, and dozens of family, friends and co-workers came together Friday afternoon to continue keeping his memory alive.
”Bill Howard Way” was unveiled during a special dedication service. The road runs along William Burgess Boulevard, which is just south of the Robert M. Foster Justice Center.
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“He was my best friend growing up and all through my adulthood,” Bill’s sister Angie Glisson said. “He was one that would help anyone. He gave so much time to the county and was on call 24/7. He was just one that loves to help people.”
Bill began working for Nassau County in 2003 and most recently served as a facilities supervisor over more than 27 different areas. On Sept. 19, 2021, he lost his COVID-19 battle.
“I’m going to miss him,” Bill’s father William said.
Bill was named after his father, William Howard Sr., who Action News Jax spoke with just moments after the dedication.
“This virus is nothing to play with,” William said.
Dedicating a road to Bill was a decision the Board of County Commissioners unanimously voted on in November, and several of his co-workers had petitioned for this to happen.
“He was one of the people who just meant so much to us that he was recognized and remembered by all of these people here that he dedicated himself to,” Bill’s mother Brenda said.
Family members shared that the dedication is “humbling” and is also a special honor for Bill’s granddaughter, who was only 2 1/2 years old when he passed.
Bill was also a master electrician with multiple licenses and certifications. His sister, Angie, said she would like to start a grief counseling foundation for family members of those impacted by COVID-19.
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“It is a different kind of grief that those family members are going through,” Glisson said. “You don’t get that chance to say goodbye. You don’t get to be at the hospital with that person — like a normal coma patient would be. You don’t get that touch. You don’t get that chance to hold their hand and walk them through. It’s a totally different disconnect and an emptiness that those family members are experiencing.”
She said if you are a patient or family member of a patient battling COVID-19, to reach out for help.
“He never realized how much of an impact he made on people, and he was just so humble of a person,” Glisson said. “That’s just who he was.”
Bill’s family wanted to give a special thanks to everyone involved in the naming of Bill Howard Way.
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