William Dan “Willie” Furgerson, 59, of Sapphire, North Carolina, passed away on August 27, 2026.

Born on August 7, 1967, in Harlan County, Kentucky. Somewhere along life's way, Willie left Kentucky at 18 years old and made his way to Brevard, North Carolina. He probably never could have imagined then that this move would lead him to Sandra, the woman who would become his wife and the love of his life for the next 40 years.

Together, Willie and Sandra built a life that was theirs. Over the years, they shared a love of horses, horsepower, and taking off down a backroad with no particular place to go; often getting lost, but never really minding. It wasn't always about where they were going. Sometimes, it was just about being together along the way.

Willie was a simple man. He didn't need fancy things or much attention, and was happiest with the people he loved and losing track of time in the garage. Turning wrenches wasn't just something Willie did; it was who he was. He had a gift for taking something apart, figuring out how it worked, and putting it back together again. His passion was all things cars and trucks, and there was nothing quite like seeing something he had poured his time, energy, and heart into finally come to life. He built beautiful creations but you would often find him fixing someone's lifeline charging to them little to nothing.

And there was one thing you could count on: you were never going to convince Willie that anything was better than a Ford. You could argue with him if you wanted to, but you weren't going to change his mind.

When Willie met Sandra, he didn't just meet the woman he would spend his life with. He walked into a family with Wendy and Joshua. And Willie gave them everything he had. He did his best to be there, to provide, and to give them a better childhood and life than the one he had known himself. He may not have always had much, but what he did have, he gave.

Then, in 1987, his son Mikey made his entrance into the world and changed Willie's whole world. Mikey was his boy, and the two shared a bond built around a love of hot rods, horsepower, and time spent together. Losing Mikey was a pain that Willie carried with him, and now there is comfort in knowing that father and son are together again.

Willie was preceded in death by his mother, Louise Kelly; his beloved son, Mikey Furgerson; and his father-in-law, Robert Clarence Franks.

Left behind to carry his memory are his loving wife of 40 years, Sandra Furgerson; his stepdaughter, Wendy Thomas of Rosman, North Carolina; his stepson, Joshua Thomas (Loni) of Brevard, North Carolina; and his grandchildren, Cayden, Braylin, and Jaxsen, all of Brevard, North Carolina.

He is also survived by his five sisters: Lisa Davis (Glen) of Etowah, North Carolina; Cheryl Fox (Jim) of Evarts, Kentucky; Kimberly Summers (Kim) of Yelm, Washington; Lisa Glabe (Corey) of Tacoma, Washington; and Teresa Henry (Travis) of Guston, Kentucky; along with a whole load of nieces, nephews, family members, and friends who loved him in their own special way.

He went by many names throughout his life. He was William to some, Willie to most, Dollboy to a few, and PawPaw Willie to a special couple. But no matter what you called him, he was always the same person every time you saw him.

He was Willie.

A man who loved his wife. A man who loved his family. A man who could spend hours turning wrenches. A man who loved a good hot rod, a backroad, and, of course, a Ford. He wasn't complicated, and he didn't pretend to be something he wasn't. What you saw was what you got and those who knew him wouldn't have wanted him any other way.

Willie's life was not always easy, but he worked hard to make life better for the people he loved. He gave what he could, loved the best way he knew how, and left pieces of himself with everyone who was fortunate enough to call him family or friend.

His absence leaves a vacancy in so many lives. There will be an empty place at family gatherings. There will be stories that make someone say, “Willie would have loved this,” and moments when the sound of an engine, the sight of an old Ford, or a drive down a familiar backroad brings him rushing back into our hearts.

And maybe that is how he will stay with us.

In the roar of a motor.

In the smell of grease and gasoline.

In the miles of a backroad with nowhere particular to go.

In the stories that will be told over and over again.

And in the hearts of those who loved him.

He may have left this world, but Willie leaves behind memories that cannot be taken away and a place in the hearts of his family that can never be filled.

He was loved more than he probably ever realized.

He will be missed more than words can say.

And he will never, ever be forgotten.