With the passing to Heaven of Bill Biggs (William Ambrose Biggs, III) on November 16th, Texas is now short a bright Angel who has been on assignment here since 1937. Tremendous husband, father, grandfather, brother, son, entrepreneur, citizen soldier and devoted Longhorn, Bill was born to Bill and Lois Biggs in Abilene, Texas, on February 19th.
Upon the family moving to Austin in 1948 with his father’s job, Bill began to have the time of his life from grade school on. His local Austin adventures would make Tom Sawyer green with envy. Bill loved Austin all his life. He graduated from Austin High in 1955, where he had proudly played center for the Maroon football team, and went directly to the University of Texas where he was a member of the Phi Psi fraternity and graduated with a degree in Chemistry in 1959. He also earned his MBA from Texas in 1961. Perpetually in motion, after retiring from his successful business in Pennsylvania, Bill decided to go back to school and earned his Juris Doctor from St. Mary’s School of Law in San Antonio, and graduated in 2002.
Through Army ROTC at Texas, Bill went on active in duty in the U.S. Army in 1962. During his military career, he earned his Ranger Tab, graduated from the Army War College, and rose to the rank of Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve before retiring in 1988. His final commendation was the Legion of Merit.
During his years in the Reserves, he worked in the private sector for Union Carbide, PPG, and then OCI, the company he co-founded and ran until his retirement in 2000.
In fact, Bill was a legendary hard worker from day one. Know anyone else who raised and sold parakeets as a teenager? We don’t either. And, one paper route wasn’t enough for Bill, he worked two (!) and kept at it all the way through earning that MBA.
But these accomplishments were always secondary to Bill. Family came first.
Bill was devoted to his first wife, Julia Young Finks, who passed away in 1993, and especially to his Mother-in-Law, Elizabeth Rice Finks.
Bill’s second wife, the former Danya McIntyre, joined him in marriage in 1995, and they laughed and travelled the world together until Danya fell ill. He took great and loving care of her until her passing at the age of 79.
In 2019, Bill married the former Carol Brown at a beautiful ceremony at his daughter’s beloved Flagstop Ranch, and again found laughter and love. They especially enjoyed weekends at the coast, watching Longmire, and walks at Camp Mabry among many other things.
Bill is sorely missed by his many golf partners and hunting buddies, but his stories live on. What gets better than that?
Bill is survived by his devoted sister, Betty Kee, and has reunited in Heaven with their brother Bob.
His son, John Carter Biggs and daughter-in-law, Eileen, also survive him. His inseparable daughter Elizabeth, and son-in-law Arthur, along with their children Cathryn Carter, and Arthur Leo Speck, III, mourn his loss as well. All of us miss Bill dearly.
We also want to thank all of the caregivers who so lovingly helped us take care of him until the very end. It definitely took a village, and the family is particularly thankful to the caring and compassionate staff at Brookdale North who took care of Bill.
We also want to thank the incredible people at St. David’s Hospice and Family Care, especially Craig More, R.N., who shepherded Bill with such grace.
Loyal Forever, the family requests that, in lieu of flowers, that any gifts be sent to the USO to help take care of the men and women who serve our nation in uniform.
The family will hold a private interment. Hook’em Horns!
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