William (Bill) Thomas Eason passed away at his home on October 4, 2023, surrounded in love by his family.

Bill was a man of many talents, from being a dynamite expert to a legendary BBQ pitmaster. He loved his family, a good adventure and BBQ. He lived a full life, that was as colorful and flavorful as his famous BBQ sauce, but, his most impressive talent was the ability to leave a lasting impression on everyone he met.

Bill was born to John Thomas and Annie Elizabeth Eason. He grew up in Farmville, NC. As a young teenager Bill was a Duncan yo-yo champion & had the sweater to prove it. He was a proud Eagle Scout. In high school he excelled on the football field, earning him a football scholarship to Wingate Junior College (now Wingate University) at just 16. There, he not only excelled in sports but also met his soulmate, Camelia. After graduating from Wingate, he & Camelia continued their education at East Carolina College (East Carolina University) where he joined the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and graduated with a degree in History.

His career path was as dynamic as his personality. Bill dabbled in teaching but found his true calling in being an entrepreneur. He left teaching to join the construction industry. He worked briefly for Blythe construction company, before opening "Eason Ditching", laying many sewer lines and septic tanks in the Southeast US. He learned he loved to blow things up, particularly rock and later started his drilling & blasting business, "Carolina Rock Service." He became known as "Dynamite Bill" or "the dynamite man". He only caught himself on fire once detonating blasting caps! Bill's knack for blowing things up led to memorable moments like suspending a 727 airplane, loading it with dynamite, and detonating it for a PBS documentary. He was considered a dynamite expert and worked as a consultant to Atlas Powder Company.

Bill worked hard and he played harder. He was an avid hunter, but the real love of his life was Eastern NC Whole Hog BBQ. Bill, along with his buddies, formed "The Little Red Pig Championship BBQ Team," earning over 185 awards and several world championships. Bill's BBQ skills earned him appearances on numerous national TV shows. Bill cooked his whole hog BBQ for celebrities such as, Anthony Bourdain, Julia Childs, Al Roker, Maria Shriver and many more making him a BBQ legend. He had hoped to be on "Pitmasters" for a season, the producers told him he was "too experienced" to go back on the competition circuit but they welcomed him to the show twice as a guest judge!

The camera crews loved Bill's iconic

look with his white hair underneath his black fisherman's hat, his cigar, his overalls, his southern drawl, his humble nature and his art of telling a well crafted story. 50% of the stories were most likely true but you'd have to decide which was true and which was not! He would frequently say "well it's your lie, tell it the way you want to." We are pretty sure he heeded his own advice in the stories he told!

Bill was the official pit master for the "Beer, Bourbon & BBQ" shows for almost a decade. He and his BBQ traveled the East Coast satisfying palates along the way! Bill and his whole hog BBQ were featured in the "Shrine of Swine" and people would line up for as far as the eye could see to get a sample of his BBQ and hoping to get a picture with the pig and the BBQ icon himself! He claimed he did the shows because of his love of BBQ but we're pretty sure he enjoyed Beer, Bourbon & BBQ because 'the daisy dukes girls' thought he was a pretty cool guy and they helped him serve the BBQ sauce at the "Shrine of Swine"!

Bill turned his passion for BBQ into a lucrative business when he started The Little Red Pig BBQ catering busines in 1983. His daughter, Katheryn, joined him in the business in 1997. Bill stayed very active in the catering and BBQ business right up to his death. In fact there was an ongoing agreement that if he died at the catering kitchen the staff was to put him in the walk-in cooler, get all the food out for the events and tend to him later. He loved it that much and he knew, no matter what the show must go on. His daughter Katheryn continues to run Kate Clyde's & The Little Red Pig in his honor.

Some say pork is bad for you but there is no doubt Bill's love for the world of BBQ and all the people in it added years to his life and life to his years.

(And "no" we aren't giving away any of his BBQ secrets! It took him having 5 heart attacks before he gave us the recipe for his sauce and his baked beans. Our lips are sealed!)

Along with his brothers and all of the lifelong friends Bill met during his life's adventures those left to honor and enjoy the legacy Bill left behind are his wife of 61 years, Camelia Smith of Marshville, daughter, Billie Dean (Mitch) of Cheraw, daughter, Katheryn Davis (Chris) of Wingate, grandchildren Anna Dean (Lyndsey) of Greenville, SC, Jesse Dean of Cheraw, Emma Dean of Cheraw, Baron Crooke (Beth) of Rural Hall, Bess Crooke (Timothy Jackson) of Gastonia, Bryce Crooke of Wingate, and his great granddaughter SophieRae Jackson of Gastonia. We will do our best to live up to and honor his legendary life but please keep in mind we are still debating which 50% of the stories he told us were true!

We would be honored if you could join us as we celebrate the life of our beloved husband, daddy, papa, pitmaster and dynamite man on Saturday, October 21, 2023 at 1pm in The Camelia Room located at 126 E Main St. Marshville, NC. Come prepared to share stories and memories with the family at a reception that will follow the memorial service.

Bill also had a passion for working with girls at the catering kitchen that are recovering from addiction through the House of Pearls in Wingate. He would be most honored of any memorials made in his name to the House of Pearls P.O. Box 516

Monroe, NC 28111.

https://www.houseofpearls.org/donate

Holland Funeral Service is serving the Eason family