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William Everett "Junior" Esham Sr.

William Everett "Junior" Esham Sr. obituary

William Esham Obituary

William E. Esham Sr.

BERLIN — William Everett "Junior" Esham Sr., 90, died Thursday, Feb. 16, 2012, at Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin, surrounded by his loving family. Born in Berlin, he was the son of the late Joseph Everett Esham and Albertine Perry Esham Mears. He was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Anna Tingle Esham, in 2003.

He is survived by his son, William E. "Billy" Esham Jr. and his wife, Gloria Harrison Esham, and daughter, Bonnie E. Wooten and her husband, Bill, all of Berlin. He was the adored grandfather of William E. Esham III, Barbara Elizabeth Hart and her husband, Edward, Lisa Bunting Cook and her husband, Douglass, and Norman A. Bunting Jr. There are 12 great-grandchildren, Teddy Hart, Garrett Cook, Harrison Hart, Austin Cook, Lauren Esham, Madison Bunting, Andrew Bunting, Anna Hart, Claire Esham, Rachel Esham, Natalie Bunting and Perry Hart.

Junior began his young career running a sawmill located on Old Ocean City Boulevard in Berlin, which cut timber for mine props. In the summer months, he and his father ran Shell's, a hotdog and hamburger stand on 9th and Boardwalk in Ocean City. They also had a sundries shop on 6th and Boardwalk. In subsequent years, they built the Light House Drive-in. In the winter, around Christmas, he worked at John Howard Burbage's Style Guide in Berlin.

His true passion was in real estate. He and his father purchased the Ritz Apartments in 1946. He went on to own the Admiral, and with his son Billy, the Rodeway Inn and Comfort Inn Boardwalk. Junior and Billy also developed numerous condominiums throughout Ocean City. In the late 1970s, he was one of the co-founders of WKHI radio station. Junior also proudly was one of the founding partners of the restored Atlantic Hotel in Berlin. He was past president for 18 years of the Ocean City Golf Club and served on the board of directors for Mercantile Peninsula Bank for more than 30 years. He was a Melvin Jones Fellow of the Berlins Lions Club and an honorary member of the Board of Trustees of Worcester Preparatory School.

He was a successful entrepreneur who quickly and generously gave back to his community.

A funeral service will be held Monday, which would have been his 91st birthday, at 11 a.m. at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Berlin. The Rev. Michael Moyer will officiate. Entombment will follow in St. Paul's Churchyard.

In lieu of flowers, a donation in his memory may be made to St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 3 Church St., Berlin, Md. 21811.

Arrangements are in the care of Burbage Funeral Home in Berlin.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Daily Times from Feb. 18 to Feb. 19, 2012.

Memories and Condolences
for William Esham

Not sure what to say?





Junis Adkins

February 22, 2012

Our family sends our deepest sympathy to all of you at this time of sorrow.

Janet and Terry Hough

February 20, 2012

Dear Billy, Terry and I were so very sorry to learn of Junior's passing. I am sure he and Anna are together celebrating a life well lived. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. With deepest sympathy, Janet Hough

February 20, 2012

To Mr. Billy Esham and family: We the employee's at Comfort Inn wish to send our condolence at this time of sorrow and pray that God wraps his loving arms around you and give you comfort.

Jerome Denk

February 20, 2012

May your hearts soon be filled with wonderful memories of joyful times together as you celebrate a life well lived. The Denk Family

BRIAN & NANCY EDGAR @ 7-Eleven

February 20, 2012

Our prayers and condolences go out to your family at this time of loss.
With deepest sympathy,

Raymond Holland III

February 20, 2012

My father and the rest of the Holland family wish to extend our condolences to Junior's family. My father, Raymond Jr., often speaks of his family from Berlin Maryland. He remains in contact and always spoke to us of memories as a boy growing up. On occasion, I have had the opportunity to meet some of my long lost relatives and it was a great pleasure to visit with Junior this past summer @ the Robin's nest. He was the same Junior I had remembered from years past & he knew who I was and asked about my father & we reminisced for a while. He was a friend & mentor to many and will be missed.

TeriLyn Darby

February 20, 2012

My thoughts and prayers go to the enitre family. May you find peace at this sad time, knowing he lived a wonderful, loving life. Mr. Esham was a wonderful man. He always made me smile. He truly will be missed. Blessings to all.

Raymond & Joan Redden

February 19, 2012

Billy, Raymond and I send you love and condolences. He so wishes he could be there with you now. Our prayers go out to you and Bonnie and all of your family....He will be greatly missed Bill but he will be rmembered even more. Love to you and your family

February 19, 2012

Dear Billy, Bonnie, and Families,
Junior made me smile whenever I saw him. He had a great sense of humor and appreciated the same in others. I'll miss seeing him at the Hotel and sitting next to him at graduation, it just won't be the same.
He was well known as a successful businessman and investor in historic preservation, but as all of you are aware, his interests were not confined to those pursuits.
Genealogical research was another area in which he was interested, and upon his request I had the privilege of tracing his family roots back to the Revolutionary War.
Junior was unfailingly generous when called upon to support a number of worthy causes, and I suspect those are only the ones of which we are aware.
Please know you have my most sincere condolences.
Fondly,
Lynne Murray

DONNA&JIM MORRISROE

February 19, 2012

WE ARE VERY SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR DAD. REMEMBER THE GOOD TIMES WITH HIM ESPECIALLY ON VALENTINES DAY WHEN ALL THE LADIES GOT A BOX OF CHOCOLATES FROM "MR.E". KNOW THAT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ARE IN OUR PRAYERS. DONNA/JIM MORRISROE

Tom/Marie Hammond

February 19, 2012

I saw junior a couple of years back when he opened his house for the Christmas tour. We had a lovely talk and brought back memories of early Berlin days. He truly loved people and enjoyed his life.
Our prayers and thoughts are with his children and grandchildren at this time of sorrow.

February 19, 2012

Our prayers and thoughts are with the Esham family. God Bless all of you Christine and Bruce Moore

Gwen Souden

February 19, 2012

Our condolences for your loss and gratitude for your loved one's service to the Coral Reef. Wonderful Memories.

Wayne Powell

February 19, 2012

Our 30 years of radio partnership with Mr. Esham in Ocean City,Pocomoke City and Exmore were among the best years of our lives with lots of great memories and laughter and plenty of learning, too. Our thoughts and sympathies are with all of his family members and friends.
Choppy Layton & Wayne Powell--100*KHI

Jim Dean

February 18, 2012

May he rest in peace in the arms of Jesus.

February 18, 2012

Our greates condolences to all the members of the Esham Family on the loss of Junior. He was a true Bailey's customer, & friend, and we enjoyed taking care of him. May he rest in peace with Anna. God
Bless.
Stanley and Martha McCabe

Tee Allen-Turner

February 18, 2012

it was my pleasure to have served Junior at the Atlantic Hotel when i first moved back in 2005,he always made it a challenge ,and very intresting and fun exprience, he will be missed but not forgottin, my deepest simpathy and condolences,to Mz Bonnie &Mr bill,and family,

Mary Lou King

February 18, 2012

Our prayers are with each of you. God Bless. Mary Lou and Bob King

Ray Montgomery

February 18, 2012

Our Deepest Sympathy to your entire family. We were lucky to have known him. Ray and Jennifer Montgomery and family

Tom Lynch

February 18, 2012

Billy, Bonnie and family so sorry about your Dad. Lots of good memories.

Louis Parsons

February 18, 2012

My deepest sympathy.

Jesse Lynch

February 18, 2012

May God Bless all of your family at this time and always. Many good memories of shared family occasions,

February 18, 2012

Bill....Jim & I wish to express our condolences to you and your family on the death of your Dad. We pray God will bless you and grant you peace. Jim & Nancy Elliott Brittingham

Sue Hudson

February 18, 2012

With Sincere Condolences

Edward Scott

February 18, 2012

May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow.

Mike Gaylor

February 18, 2012

Jr., was a Big help In the starting years of my business with all of his advice about business . I believed him to be a great friend. Mike Gaylor r&m heating

Showing 1 - 26 of 26 results

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