William Simmons Jr. 31, of Indian Trail, NC, passed away on Thursday, November 27, 2025, at his home in Indian Trail.   

William Jerome Simmons, Jr., affectionately known as BJ and Will, was born on December 25, 1993, in Augusta, GA. He was the best Christmas gift to Thomasina Robinson and William Simmons Sr.

BJ could talk before he could walk. As a child, he thrived on learning computers and computer games. He never met a stranger and greeted everyone with a smile. BJ loved to laugh and spend time with his “Papa,” the late Thomas Mahoney, Jr. Mr. Mahoney is where BJ gained his passion for real estate. He had BJ and his cousins laying bricks and building houses with their bare hands through the summer months. This is where he learned the value of hard work.

Growing up in Aiken, SC, he received Christ early and was a hard and diligent worker in the church. He also met many of his lifelong friends. Will enjoyed playing basketball, video games and watching anime with his friends while being followed around by the little brother he begged for but later requested to send back, Harrison. He attended Aiken High School where he played the saxophone in the band and was a member of the tennis team. After graduating in 2012, he went to the University of South Carolina Aiken before transferring to University of South Carolina (USC) to study Integrated Information Technology. While at USC, he became a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. As a Sigma, he gained many blue and white brothers and sisters. Will’s great and visible faith in God, gained him the line name, “The ApoΣtle” (Apostle). He also loved to sing and was a member of A Touch of Faith gospel choir. After receiving his Bachelor of Science degree, he moved to Charlotte, NC, and he furthered his education and received a Master of Business Administration degree from East Carolina University.

William started his career in the field he was passionate about, computers and IT with TIAA as a Technical Associate. From there he was promoted to several positions across seven years. Continuing to follow his commitment for real estate, he started MSR Estates, a real estate investment company with the goal of investing in the community and being the solution to people’s problems and needs by providing affordable housing. Before his passing he was an IT Business Analyst for Coca-Cola Consolidated for just over a year. This was a full circle moment because his late grandfather was a big fan of Coke drinks.

Towards the end of December 2020, Will literally matched with Whitley Shannon on a dating app called Hinge. After talking for a few days, he planned their first date immediately after the New Year. But luck would have it, it started to snow the evening of the first date and Will wanted to cancel. Thankfully his friend talked him out of it, and they went on their date and Whitley proceeded to beat him in indoor putt putt golf. There was an instant connection and they became inseparable. Whitley tested Will’s adventurous side from kayaking with alligators, facing his fear of heights while parasailing, having dinner in the sky suspended 50 meters in the air, and snorkeling in the middle of the ocean, among many others. Despite his fears he did them for her.

They became engaged on June 18, 2022. Will along with Whitley’s friends planned a surprise proposal during a trip to San Francisco. Will proposed overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge. They married the following year, June 11, 2023. Right after marriage, the couple became members of New Zion Church, which became their family away from home. After two years of experiencing newly wed bliss, they found out they were expecting their first child, a daughter, to be born in March 2026. Will was extremely excited to be a dad and looked forward to fatherhood. He started reading the Bible to his unborn daughter, Waverly, at just seven weeks, a testament to the father he would have been. God called him home on November 27, 2025, a month shy of his 32nd birthday. William’s legacy will live on, and he will be deeply missed by many.

He leaves to cherish and honor his memory, his loving wife Whitley Simmons, his daughter, Waverly Simmons; his mother, Thomasina Mahoney-Robinson (Harry); his father, Pastor William ‘Bill’ Simmons, Sr (Jeanette); his brother, Harrison Robinson; his step-brothers, Devin Aiken (Shawnika), Clifford Devine, Jr., Zephaniah Devine; his maternal grandmother, Mary Cook-Mahoney; a host of aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews; a plethora of cousins, extended family and friends.

Preceding him in death is his maternal grandfather, Thomas Mahoney, Jr; his paternal grandparents, Deacon Leonard Simmons and Frances White Simmons; his uncles, Sgt. John Thomas Mahoney and Curtis