William M Dodd

William M. Dodd “Bill” of Evans, Georgia passed away on April 5, 2026.

Bill was born in Spartanburg, SC to William C. and Irene S. Dodd on December 4, 1948. He grew up in Augusta and attended Richmond County Schools.

He leaves behind his wife, Patricia Sheldon Dodd “Trisha”, a son by his first marriage, Mikell B. Dodd “Mike” and his wife, Erin, a granddaughter, Megan D. Lewis and her husband, Jalen, a grandson, Joshua M. Dodd “Josh”, and Lacey, his “American Bully Mix - Nanny Dog”.

Also, he leaves behind the following adopted family members (family of his heart): Mike and Rhonda Sheldon and their children; Chris and Erin Sheldon and their children; Zac and Katie Sheldon and their children; Rusty and Carla Mahakian and their children; Michelle, Dillon and Kane Neely; Thomas Beck; Tiffani H. Jackson and her children; Amsa Tall; Luke Drew, Sophia Hitt; and Amber and Bryce Wilson and their children.

From the time Bill and Trisha married in 1978, he would bring home kittens and/or cats that no one else wanted. After the last cat passed away in 2016, he turned his sights to adopt rescued pitbulls that had either been neglected or mistreated. Also, he helped those people in need who came to his attention, either with money, food or clothing. He was a friend of Bill W. for approximately 30 years and couldn’t imagine returning to the life he had before that.

Bill was a whiz at trivia, because he seemed to remember the most arcane information that he read or heard whether it was fact or fiction. He was a hobbyist who enjoyed learning everything he could about a hobby and then moving on to a new one. He designed and planted gardens in the yard of his and Trisha’s first home. At one time he had 6 aquariums and supported this hobby by mating African Cichlids and selling the young cichlid fish. His last hobby was collecting men’s colognes, learning the ingredients in each and sharing that information and colognes with others. Throughout his life, he enjoyed making people laugh. He was an avid storyteller and used a method which he called “creative reality” to either make the story more interesting or funnier. His definition of “creative reality” was to add fictional details to a true story that he experienced or adopted someone else’s experience in order to make an interesting story.

Bill's experience as an English major at Augusta College opened the world of academia to him. Years later, after joining the teaching faculty at AC, earning his doctoral degree, and then becoming an administrator, he surprised colleagues with an amazing ability to quote long passages from literature, especially British Literature.

His talents as an administrator quickly became evident. Early in his career at Augusta College, he became an academic department chair. During the Augusta State University era, he moved up the ranks, ultimately carrying him to the upper levels of university leadership, first as Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and then in his lengthy tenure as Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs.

Possessed of a quick, strategic intelligence, Bill often recognized solutions and outcomes to problems before others did. He is remembered by many of the teaching faculty for his fairness, common sense, good judgment, and support.

Many administrative colleagues appreciated him as a friend and mentor who helped them navigate the difficult challenges of mid- and upper-level administration. Never ruffled, he was always ready with a helpful perspective, a humorous quip, and guidance on how to proceed. Following his retirement, Bill enjoyed sharing reminiscences and swapping stories with a special group of these friends at lunch spots around town.