William Proctor

William N. “Bill” Proctor (1911-1974) was an Oneida businessman who served as the town’s mayor from 1965 to 1973.

See Also: Mayors of Oneida
Preceded By: John Lee West • Succeeded By: Robert Carson

Early Life

Born June 8, 1911 in Washington, D.C., Proctor was the son of William N. Proctor Sr.

Proctor married Mildred Elizabeth Lewallen (1916-2000). They had one son: William N. Proctor III.

Professional Life

Proctor served as an agent with the Railroad Express Agency for 28 years. He was a mason and a shriner, and also served as a member of the East Tennessee Development District.

Oneida Mayor

Proctor was elected mayor of Oneida in 1965, replacing John Lee West. He was re-elected in 1967, 1969 and 1971, serving a total of four terms before being replaced by Robert Carson.

When Proctor left office in 1973, he was the longest-serving mayor in Oneida’s history. No mayor before him had served longer than six years.

Death

Proctor died of a heart attack at his home on Feb. 4, 1974, at the age of 62. A funeral service was held three days later at First United Methodist Church in Oneida with Rev. Kenneth Perkins officiating. He was buried at Carson Memorial Park.