WILMINGTON — Born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, William Joseph Baggett was raised by Hannah Huske Baggett and Dr. Joseph Woodrow Baggett, alongside his siblings. Billy died peacefully, surrounded by family and friends.
From the early years at White Lake to long summers at Wrightsville Beach, the water was a constant in his life. While his expeditions spanned the Eastern Seaboard, reaching both the North and South Poles, Banks Channel remained his haven. He dedicated his time to swimming, sailing, and biking along the South End.
Billy earned his undergraduate degree from East Carolina University and later served in the United States Coast Guard. He began his career as a mathematics teacher in Wilmington before moving to New Orleans, where he earned a Master of Business Administration from Loyola University. While in New Orleans, he also worked on the Mississippi River, piloting crew boats and later supporting attorneys in Admiralty Law cases.
Billy’s passion for fishing and sailing defined much of his life. He spent years exploring the Caribbean, always finding peace in the Exumas. He was a skilled and unpredictable helmsman, navigating through storms and hurricanes throughout his years of sailing. He held close his time with friends and family fishing the Gulf Stream and the turquoise waters of the Bahamas. At his peak, in 1988, Billy received a North Carolina Saltwater Fishing Citation for catching a 102-pound tarpon off the shoals of Bald Head Island.
To many, he was a complicated friend, prickly on the surface but unwavering underneath. He made easy things harder and hard things more bearable. He deflected credit for his own generosity, but left behind a deep sense of loyalty in those who knew him.
Billy was a managing partner of the family-owned Blockade Runner Beach Resort from the early 1980s until 2022. Under his leadership, the resort thrived as a hub for water sports, family vacations, and local culture. He brought renowned comedians to Wrightsville Beach through the “Comedy Zone” and founded the Blockade Runner Sailing Center for the public. He helped launch events like the Carolina Cup and US Open Fat Bike Beach Championship. He proudly promoted the North Carolina Holiday Flotilla and July 4th celebrations with annual fireworks shows.
He was a steady presence in both charitable work and the Wilmington community through Cape Fear Community College, the University of North Carolina Wilmington, Good Shepherd Center, Saint James Episcopal Parish, Access of Wilmington, and the Cat Island Bahamas Orphanage.
He was a devoted husband to Dorothy Ann Hungerford Baggett until her death in 2023.
Billy is survived by his siblings Mary Webber Baggett, Joseph Woodrow Baggett Jr., and Benjamin Huske Baggett; nephews Joseph Woodrow Baggett III and Polk Baggett; godson Jake Evans Stowe; and lastly, his second-favorite cat, Homer Hemingway.
The funeral service is scheduled for 11:00 AM, Thursday, July 24, 2025, at Saint James Episcopal Parish.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the following three funds that Billy established at Cape Fear Community College: The Rising Tide Endowment Scholarship (previously incarcerated students), The Dorothy Ann Hungerford Scholarship Fund (women with children impacted by domestic violence), and The Blockade Runner Endowed Scholarship Fund (students in marine technology or geomatics). Donations should be made to “CFCC Foundation”, specifying the fund and sent to 411 North Front Street, Wilmington, NC 28401.
