William Coleman "Bill" Cloar

William Coleman "Bill" Cloar, of Dyersburg, passed away Sunday, March 29, at Okeena Healthcare. He was 89.

Bill was born June 27, 1936, in Dyersburg, to Robert E. and Jeanette Cloar.

From an early age, Scouting was an important part of his life. His father, Robert Cloar, founded Troop 88 in the 1940s, where Bill became an Eagle Scout and a member of the Order of the Arrow. His involvement continued throughout his life, and he was later recognized with the Silver Beaver Award and the Silver Antelope Award.

After graduating from Dyersburg High School in 1954, Bill spent a summer working at Yellowstone National Park with friends before enrolling at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. He studied computer technology, well ahead of its time, and remained a loyal Georgia Tech supporter, always ready to sing along to the "Ramblin' Wreck" fight song and proud to have cheered on the Yellow Jackets at the 1972 Liberty Bowl.

Following college, Bill returned to Dyersburg and began his career at Dyersburg Fabrics. He helped establish the company's early data processing and computer department, a new concept at the time, and saw it evolve from mainframes and punch cards to personal computers. He was one of the first in the area to own a Radio Shack TRS-80, something he thoroughly enjoyed. Later in his career, he moved into Human Resources.

In 1962, Bill married Mary Cox Lord of Wellesley, Massachusetts. They met through their fathers' work in the cotton industry, and he brought her to Dyersburg, where they built their life together and raised their two sons, John and Robert. He was a steady and present father, often taking his boys to the family farm in Obion County or into the bottoms to hunt, especially for ducks.

Duck hunting became one of the constants of his life, first introduced by Dr. Paul Baird. Growing up, he hunted with friends including Milton Magee, Tommy Rosser, Jack Pate, and Edward Anderson. As an adult, he first hunted at Maple Flats and later along the levee near Moss Island WMA, where he, Ken Alford, Richard Donner, Miles Shatzer, Jack Todd, Bill Pierce, and others established the Moss Island Land Company. That property remains active today and continues to be hunted by family members and others. He was a lifelong supporter of Ducks Unlimited.

Bill also loved spending time in Maine, where his wife's family had a home on Lord's Point. He enjoyed boating and "Down East Cruises" with his father-in-law, Hartley Lord, who rarely called him by name, instead referring to him simply as "Son-in-Law." Those were times he looked forward to.

He was active in public life for many years. A committed Republican, Bill became involved during Lamar Alexander's 1978 campaign for governor. Over the years, he was friends with several governors and elected officials, including Don Sundquist, Winfield Dunn, Bill Frist, Ed Bryant, and David Kustoff. He served twice as a Tennessee delegate to the Republican National Convention and spent many years as a Dyer County Commissioner, where he cared deeply about the county and always wanted what was best for it.

Bill was a lifelong member of First Baptist Church in Dyersburg. Over the course of his life, he was guided by three pastors-Dr. Robert Orr, Buddy Boston, and Mike Hickman. He and Buddy Boston were friends from grade school through family ties in Obion County. He valued his Sunday school class and the friendships he built there.

Bill was lighthearted, enjoyed a cold Budweiser, and was deeply committed to his community. He valued his friendships, stayed connected to the people around him, and took genuine enjoyment in the routines and traditions that shaped his life.

He is survived by his two sons, John Cloar (Sue Ann) and Robert Cloar (Lisbeth), both of Dyersburg; six grandchildren, Holly, Katherine, Rebecca, Ben, Aria, and Edward, who knew him as "Daddy B"; one great-grandson, Dameon Gooch; and his sister-in-law, Cindi Ardizzone (Pat) of Windham, New Hampshire.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Mary Cloar.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, April 1, 2026 at Dyersburg Funeral Home from 5:00 until 7:30 p.m. Funeral services will be held at First Baptist Church in Dyersburg on Thursday, April 2, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. connected by Rev. Mike Hickman. Visitation will be held from 1:30 p.m. until services begin. Frank Pierce, Rankin Fowlkes, Milton Magee, Jr, Ken Riddick, John Harris and Jimmy Hester will be honored to serve as pallbearers.