William Paul "Bill" Sparrowhawk

William Paul ("Bill") Sparrowhawk, 88, of Rainbow City, AL, passed away on September 1, 2025. Born on Sep 2, 1936, in Tampa, FL, Bill grew up the youngest of 5 siblings in a family that enjoyed sharing stories, music, jokes, and good times. Bill graduated from Hillsborough High School in Tampa, Florida. Bill met his bride-to-be, Jane Hankinson at church in Tampa, FL. The two were married on Sep 3, 1965. They were married just a few days shy of 60 years. Bill is preceded in death by his mother and father, Allegra and Laurence Sparrowhawk, siblings, Jim, Bob, Charlotte, and Jack Sparrowhawk, nephew Larry Sparrowhawk, and grandson Miles Sparrowhawk. He is survived by his wife Jane, their 3 children, Laurie Sparrowhawk of Austin, TX (Jay Pearmon), Paul Sparrowhawk of Jacksonville, AL (Connie Sparrowhawk), and Scott Sparrowhawk of Seattle, WA (Susan Sparrowhawk). Together, Bill and Jane felt blessed to have been able to spend time with their 8 grandchildren (Kristen, Bryant, Alyce, Fox, Lucas, Aden, Elliott, and Riley) and 4 great grandchildren (Simon, Dexter, Raylon and Maddie). Bill was very proud of his grandchildren and great grandchildren. He appreciated each for their own unique gifts. Bill graduated from Principia College with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science, and then from University of Florida with a Master's in Teaching, followed by Doctorate work at University of Georgia (ABD). Bill enlisted in the US Air Force for 2 years where he was proud to serve his nation by traveling and performing with the NORAD Military Band. Bill taught Political Science at Young Harris College in North Georgia, where he discovered that helping others learn how to learn and to think critically, was a personal passion of his. Bill went on to work in transportation planning for the majority of his career, where he advocated and designed programming for alternative transportation options such as biking and carpooling. One to take his own advice, he regularly carpooled or rode a bike to work throughout his professional career. In his spare time he was a volunteer for more than 20 years with Cub Scouts of America. A lifelong music lover and performer, Bill was an accomplished woodwind player, guitar/bass/banjo, and singer. He sang in the Atlanta Symphony Chorus, he recorded 3 albums with the NORAD Band, he was a regular chorus singer for the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center's opera series, and he often performed in school classrooms and community centers. Bill's legacy with his family is one of living with integrity and love. In fact, one of his older brothers, Jack, shared with his own children that they should look to Bill as a role model, "Be like Uncle Bill," is the advice he gave them. Bill so enjoyed the company of all of his siblings' families. Based in Tampa, Florida, he shared many wonderful experiences with all branches of the Sparrowhawk family. Some of his favorite memories during retirement included taking cruises with his wife Jane. They took multiple cruises in the winter months in order to avoid cooler temperatures at home. The two of them collected boxes full of Carnival Cruise trophies, and they even performed songs during Carnival talent shows, getting a standing ovation more than a few times. Bill and Jane made the most of their retirement years, competing in the Masters Games in the state of Alabama for a number of years, and bringing home medals in tennis, ping pong, shuffleboard, darts, basketball, and many other events. They were always willing participants, ready to compete. During his retirement years, Bill grew out the white beard and was regularly mistaken for Santa Claus. Whenever approached by a little one in public, he played along by raising a finger to his lips and whispering to the child not to reveal to others that Santa was there. Bill is known for his sharp wit, guiding religious beliefs, strong confidence in himself, and a generous spirit. He had 2 pet projects during his final years while living at Regency Pointe, including playing bass guitar as piano accompaniment in the Regency Pointe church service and the weekly hymn sing, and promoting the sentiment of making the bonus for the non-salaried Regency Pointe staff (based on donations from residents) a substantial bonus, truly reflecting the residents' gratitude. He cared deeply for his community. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Jacksonville State University Marching Band. (donation link: https://give.jsu.edu/g/marching-southerners/)