In Memorium

Our corporate and personal family had a substantial loss in December 2010. Our father and great friend Bill Clover passed away.

Bill Clover was not only an early leader in our industry, but he continued as a guiding mentor for his two sons and two daughters after retirement. Although he had not been active in business or over 30 years, he kept up to date and interested in all areas of the business, continuing to give his advice and counsel when asked to do so.

In retirement he served as Honorary Board Chairman of both Panorama Companies, Panorama Properties, the leading quality residential real estate agency in Marbella Spain owned by his son Christopher, and Panorama International, an international development and financial consulting organization based in Texas, the United States of America.

Williston LaVake Clover passed away on December 20, 2010 in Hilton Head, South Carolina. He was 95 years old. Bill Clover lived in Charlottesville, Virginia for 55 years and was an important part of the Charlottesville community from 1940 until he left Charlottesville in 1996 for Hilton Head, South Carolina and Highlands, North Carolina.

Bill was a person who stood out for consistent positive spirit, his versatility, and exceptional self discipline. He had a deep passion for nature in all its forms, as well as a strong sense of fairness and justice, which made him a staunch champion of the underdog, a protector of those who could not fend for themselves. More than anything else, he was a gentle person of extraordinary humility and great kindness to the many people who touched his long life.

Professionally Bill was an Aberdeen Angus breeder, farmer, designer-architect, property developer, builder, real estate broker, international businessman, passionate sports enthusiast, tennis coach and athletic instructor. He contributed his time and efforts to countless Charlottesville-Albemarle community projects.

Bill Clover was born in Chicago, Illinois on May 2, 1915 to Abigail LaVake Clover and Burtt Byron Clover. He attended Chicago area schools including New Trier High School, and after graduation attended the University of Arizona, and the University of North Carolina, where he excelled in athletics. He was nationally ranked as a tennis Junior in doubles.

Bill's dad, Burtt Clover was a real estate broker and developer around the Chicago area. When Burtt Clover moved to Charlottesville in 1952 Bill followed in his profession and formed Clover Realty Company, specializing in large estates in Albemarle and surrounding counties. He possessed a highly specialized knowledge and understanding of land and historic properties.

The developer of the communities of Montvue, West Leigh, Laurel Hills, and Normandy Drive as well as other small developments in the Charlottesville area, Bill was also a designer and builder of superior homes in the above areas and in other prime residential areas of Charlottesville, Albemarle County and in Highlands, North Carolina.

Expanding internationally, Bill acquired Panorama Properties and Panorama International in Washington in 1968. An innovator, he started the first lifestyle club in the world. Under his guidance, Panorama built a network of over 40 affiliated brokers, and had affiliate offices in several countries and its own offices in Spain and Mexico City. Bill was also in demand as a panelist and lecturer at several international seminars.

Apart from his leadership in his own companies, Bill was President and founding member and first President of the Virginia Beef Cattle Improvement Association from 1955 to 1958; past President of the Charlottesville-Albemarle Board of Realtors; past President of the Charlottesville-Albemarle Rotary Club and former Vice-President of the Virginia Aberdeen Angus Association.

We all will miss him.