William Marvin Salyers

Bill (William Marvin) Salyers, age 93, of Hillsborough, North Carolina, died at home on December 17, 2025, of natural causes. Bill was born August 31, 1932 in the coal mining town of West Van Lear, in the mountains of eastern Kentucky. He often said he was a misplaced Kentucky hillbilly.

His parents were the late Chester Salyers and Ruth (Gough) Salyers. Chester worked as a coal miner in Kentucky until WWII. They moved to the newly built headquarters of the Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, where both parents worked.

Bill was a life-long learner. He often said that he wanted to die the day after he quit learning. He graduated from the following schools:

Knox County High School Knoxville, Tennessee

Carson Newman College, Jefferson, Tennessee

Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville Kentucky

Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana

But all that formal education didn't end his desire to learn or his curiosity about everything. He read constantly and accumulated so many books we donʼt know what to do with them. He visited libraries, read newspapers, and when he finally got a computer, he discovered Wikipedia.

In 1955 Bill was drafted into the U.S. Army and served three years as a clerk inOfficer Records. He worked in several posts until he was stationed inBremerhaven, Germany. He invited Mary Jane Knisley, to whom he was engaged, to join him in Bremerhaven, Germany, where they were married June 15, 1957.They have lived together for 68 years of marriage.

Bill was ordained by American Baptist Churches in the USA in 1959, and served several Indiana churches as pastor and interim pastor.

By 1969 Bill and Mary Jane had three daughters; Sallie, Cindy and Joy. They were his pride and delight.

Billʼs understanding of his ministry was dramatically altered by his serving asChaplain in Muscatatuck Hospital and Training Center. This was a large residential facility for people with congenital disabilities, such as Down syndrome, heart deformities, cerebral palsy, etc, in Butlerville, Indiana. His experience at Muscatatuck was foundational in shifting the direction of his life and ministry. He went to seminary to learn to be a pastor and a preacher, but Muscatatuck changed his mission to serving disabled people in sheltered workshops and through national organizations such as Easter Seals.

Throughout his career in disability services, he remained active in AmericanBaptist activities and communities. He was a frequent supply and guest preacher in many different churches in Illinois, Iowa, Ohio, and North Carolina where he was known for combining sound theology with a rousing preaching style.

Survivors include wife Mary Jane (Knisley) Salyers, daughter and son-in-law Sallieand Greg Abba, daughter Cindy Salyers, daughter Joy Salyers, grandchildrenHeather (Abba) McBride (Kris McBride), Sam Abba, Clara Groves, Nico Salyers, and Selathiel and Atticus, Billʼs great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm Saturday, March 21, 2026, at Watts Street Baptist Church, Durham, North Carolina, with reception to follow.