Former USGA President William C.
Battle Dies
June 2, 2008
By Rhonda Glenn, USGA
 |
| Battle |
William C. Battle, 87, president of the United States Golf
Association in 1988 and '89, died May 31 in Charlottesville, Va.,
after suffering a stroke. He was also the son of a Virginia
governor, former United States ambassador to Australia and a
retired textile executive. Bill Battle was the son of John S.
Battle, who served as Virginia governor from 1950-1954. In 1969,
the younger Battle made his own Democratic bid for governor,
losing to Linwood Holton, Virginia's first Republican governor
since Reconstruction.
Battle served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was
awarded the Silver Star for his service. He was in the same
squadron in the South Pacific as John F. Kennedy and participated
in Kennedy's rescue from the island on which he and his crew were
marooned. Prior to the national election in 1959, Battle was
Kennedy's Virginia campaign manager and coordinator for the
Southeastern states. After Kennedy's election, Battle was
appointed United States Ambassador to Australia, a position he
held from 1962 until 1964. He then returned to Charlottesville to
join the family law firm Perkins, Battle and Minor, which merged
to form McGuire, Woods, Battle and Booth. Today it's known as
McGuireWoods, one of the largest law firms in the South.
Battle retired in 1983 as president and chief executive of
Fieldcrest Mills, a textile firm that now is a part of Pillowtex
Corp. He was a member of the Board of Visitors at the University
of Virginia.
He is survived by his wife, Barry, sons Curren and Bobby and
daughter Jane Richards. A memorial service for Battle will take
place at the University of Virginia Chapel on the campus of UVA
in Charlottesville, Va., at 4 p.m. on June 11. A reception will
follow at 5 p.m. at Farmington Country Club, 1625 Country Club
Circle, Charlottesville, Va., 22901.
RhondaGlennis a Manager of Communications for the USGA. E-mailGlennwith questions or comments at rglenn@usga.org.