William "Billy" Burrow

William Clark “Billy” Burrow, born October 10, 1954 in Jacksonville, North Carolina, passed away on March 5, 2026, surrounded by the love of his family and the community he cherished.

The son of a career U.S. Marine, Billy spent his childhood at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and overseas in Haiti. Family lore often recalled the day a mischievous young Billy accidentally shot his mother with a BB gun, an incident that became part of the family’s treasured stories and captured the humor that would remain a hallmark of his personality throughout his life. He attended Frederick Military Academy in Portsmouth, Virginia, before graduating from Princess Anne High School. He then began a lifelong career as a painter, known for his skill, meticulous attention to detail, and strong work ethic. For many years he traveled the country painting storefronts for Limited Brands, including numerous Victoria’s Secret stores that opened across the United States in the 1990s. Closer to home, he built a loyal clientele throughout the Norfolk area who appreciated both his craftsmanship and his reliability.

Billy’s life included difficult chapters, including a struggle with addiction. Yet his story became one of remarkable recovery and service. At the time of his passing, he had celebrated nearly 33 years of sobriety, a milestone he viewed not as a personal achievement but as a responsibility to help others. For decades he was a steady, guiding presence in the recovery community, sponsoring countless men—sometimes as many as twenty at a time—as they rebuilt their lives. Known for his thoughtful insights, spiritual grounding, honesty, humility, and humor, Billy had a rare gift for connecting with people, whether in quiet one-on-one conversations or speaking to rooms of hundreds at meetings and conventions. Many credited him with helping them find sobriety, rebuild their lives, and believe that change was possible.

Billy was predeceased by his father, Robert “Bob” Burrow; his mother, Carolyn Burrow; and his sister, Pamela “Pam” Yandle. He is survived by his three children, Joseph Burrow of Bethesda, Maryland, Whitney Burrow of Charleston, South Carolina, and Tyler Burrow of Virginia Beach, Virginia; his three grandchildren, Daniel Burrow, Eliza Burrow, and Priya Frazier; his sisters Barbara (Ted) Melton of Suffolk, Virginia, and Vickie Sullivan of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina; and many nieces, nephews, friends, and members of his extended recovery family. His legacy lives on in every life he touched with hope, sobriety, and a second chance.