William Alexander Jenkins Jr.

1937 - 2016

WILLIAM ALEXANDER JENKINS, JR. William (Bill, Puss) Alexander Jenkins, junior, 79, of Raleigh, passed away the morning of October 13, 2016 at Duke University Medical Center peacefully after a long illness. Bill was born in Fairmont, North Carolina on September 1, 1937. He attended East Carolina University, where he was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, and graduated in 1959. Bill was a Captain in the United States Marine Corps, serving from 1959 to 1962. Bill was the founder of WAJ Management and Jenkins Properties. He was a leader in the affordable housing industry for nearly forty years, having developed over 60 apartment communities, which provided thousands of homes for families in North Carolina. He was also a past Board member of the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency. Bill was a very generous man, having supported many charities and community organizations during his life. He was particularly proud of his involvement over the past few years with Camp Kanata, a Triangle YMCA overnight camp located in Wake Forest. Over the past three summers, Bill funded over one hundred and fifty scholarships for the children who lived in his apartment communities to attend a week of camp. His family will continue to support this program in his honor. Bill was a long time member of North Ridge County club, where he was a past Board Member. He cherished his time spent with friends on the golf course and playing cards in the 19th hole. Bill and his family celebrated many happy times at North Ridge, and it will always be a special place where they will remember him. Bill is survived by his wife of twenty-seven years, Linda Ipock Jenkins, and his two daughters, Hollis (Tim) Krygsveld, Robin (Mike) Finch, and his son Billy (Ragan) Ramsey. He is also survived by his four grandchildren, Tanner Krygsveld, Mary Frances Ramsey, William Ramsey, and Watts Ramsey, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Bill also leaves behind countless numbers of friends, colleagues, golfing and fishing buddies, fraternity brothers, and dance partners. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, William A. Jenkins and Gladys Barnes Jenkins, brother Armon Jenkins, and sisters Katrina Jenkins and Carmel Pierce. The family will receive visitors at Bryan-Lee Funeral Home in Raleigh on Tuesday, October 18th from 5 to 7pm. A private burial will be held the next day at Montlawn Memorial Park. Bill celebrated life every single day with a beautiful smile, enjoying his time on earth with his family and friends. He was loved by so many and was always the life of the party. As such, his family chooses to honor him with a Celebration of Life on Wednesday, October 19th at North Ridge Country Club from 5-8pm. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to YMCA Camp Kanata at 13524 Camp Kanata Road, Wake Forest, North Carolina 27587 or to Wake Tech Foundation, which will be put toward the Bill and Linda Jenkins Endowed Scholarship, 9101 Fayetteville Road, Raleigh, NC 27603 or online foundation.waketech.edu/donate.