SMYRNA - In what state Sen. Doug Stoner (D-Smyrna) called a loss for the Jonquil City, William H. "Bill" Scoggins, of Smyrna, died on Sunday.

The former city councilman was 79.

A funeral service will be at 2 p.m. today at Smyrna First United Methodist Church with the Revs. Barbara Hatchell and John Gaissert officiating.

Interment is at Georgia Memorial Park Cemetery.

City Councilman Pete Wood, 76, recalled growing up with Scoggins near City Hall in the 1940s. The two delivered newspapers together as boys in a city that had a population of about 5,000. They would help it grow as city councilmen to its current size of about 50,000.

Smyrna Mayor Pro-Tem Wade Lnenicka said, "He grew up in what was then the rural South, and I think he remained basically a country loving person to the end. He was very much a people person."

Added Stoner: "You know the old saying, 'You don't know where you're going unless you know where you came from?' Bill was one of those people who knew where he came from."

Wood said it's not easy losing a lifelong friend.

"It's tough, to be honest with you. There's certain people in your life that just have a special place. When they're gone there's a void," Wood said.

Scoggins retired from Fouts Brothers Truck Sales in Smyrna after more than 25 years as a successful salesman. He was a charter member of the Smyrna Oakdale Moose Lodge.

Under his leadership on the council from 1988 to 2007, Smyrna saw dramatic changes.

"He was probably without exception the biggest supporter of the rebirth of Smyrna and the redevelopment of the downtown area," Smyrna Mayor Max Bacon said.

"He just had a common sense approach to things. Whatever it was we could work it out. That's what he always tried to do," Bacon said.

Bacon recalled teasing him about the picture Scoggins kept of his beagle. "He was such a family man, but I'm going to tell you this, he loved his dogs. You can tell a lot about a man if he's got a picture of his dog on his desk. I used to give him a hard time about that," Bacon said.

Wood said Scoggins' word was his bond.

"I guess what I admired most was his word was good. If Bill Scoggins gave you his word, he did what he said he was going to do, and I think people always respected that," Wood said.

Scoggins is survived by his wife, Jeraldean Scoggins of Smyrna; five daughters: Jo (Tom) Dolan of Marietta, Lisa (Jim) Bacon of Norcross, Michele (John) Gaissert of Nicholson, Gayle (Carlos) Polo of Miami, Cookie (David) Stringfield of Evans; three sons: Bill (Lori) Scoggins of Sugar Hill, Chris Wright of Buford, Richard (Cathy) Wright of Camp Douglas, WI; a brother, sister; 16 grandchildren; 11 great grandchildren and a number of nieces and nephews.