One of Dyersburg's top self made millionaire businessman has died on May 8, 2010 at Dyersburg Regional Medical Center at the age of 74. Billy Gene Bland came to Dyersburg in 1972 and was first manager of the A&P store and then went on to manage Big John's, which led to supervisor and then regional supervisor.

Bill Bland went on to have four Q-mart stores in Dyersburg and was co-founder of the Smoke Shack store. He touched many many lives in the Dyer County region.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday in the chapel of Dyersburg Funeral Home with the Rev. Clyde Thompson officiating. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery.

The family will receive visitors from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.

He leaves behind his wife Linda Bland of Dyersburg; three daughters, Tish Clark and husband, Alan, and Sheila Barnes, all of Dyersburg, and Sonya Cissell and husband, Tony, of Booneville, IN.; a step-daughter, Lisa Bryant and husband, Tim, of Dyersburg; a step-son, Jim Boyd of Ureka, Montana; his mother, Irene Bland of Dyersburg; a brother, Bruce Bland and wife, Sherry, of Nashville; four grandchildren, Brittany Barnes and Katie Clark, both of Dyersburg, Miranda Shriner of Booneville, IN. and Kyle Cissell of Tampa, FL.; and one great-grandchild, Natalie Shriner of Booneville, IN.

Pallbearers will be Tim Bryant, Lloyd Olds, Doug Wilkerson, Roger Timmer, J.R. Williams, George French, Bill Hall and Tony Cissell. Honorary pallbearers will be James Autry, Randall Harris, Jimmy Christian, Travis Willis, Leon Cummings, Jim Meneese and Bubba Permenter.

He was preceded in death by his father, John Wilburn Bland; and a brother, Jimmy Bland.

The family requests the memorials may be directed to American Diabetes Association or American Heart Association.