William Joseph Alford, III, 67, passed away from this life on January 31, 2014. The first born of Jeanne H. and William J. Alford, Jr., he spent his youth in Hampton. He graduated from Hampton High School in 1964, then he attended Virginia Tech for a period of time before proudly serving in the US Marines Corp.

After Residing in California, he returned to tidewater in 2001 where he became a resident of Yorktown. During the last several years of retirement, Joe was quite active with his dog Rhett and the Therapy Dogs program. He devoted much of his time to different schools and nursing homes.

Joe is survived by his daughter, Mary Jeanne Ball and her husband Douglas; grandchildren, Jessica and Benjamin; sister, Bonnie Alford-Restaino and her husband Jerry; brothers, Thomas J. Alford and his wife Donna and Stephen M. Alford; numerous nieces and nephews; and good friends Helen and Johnnie Noles and Joe Baslione.

A Memorial service will be conducted 2:00 PM Saturday at Berceuse Funeral and Cremation Traditions in Hampton by Rev. David T. Hampton. The family wishes in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the American Diabetes Association, PO Box 11454, Alexander, VA 22312.