William G. Lesso

Bill was born March 23, 1931, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Andrew and Catherine (Franks) Lesso. He was an Eagle Scout. Bill was a 1949 graduate of Cathedral Latin High School. He graduated from Notre Dame in 1953 with B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and then went on to get an MBA from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1963. Bill got a Master’s of Economics and a Ph.D in Operations Research from Case Western Reserve University in 1967.

Bill served in the U.S. Air Force as a Communications Officer in Okinawa. After leaving the military, he was employed at Cleveland Graphite Bronze followed by six years at the General Electric Jet Engine Division in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1967, Bill began an illustrious career as an Associate and then full Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department of the College of Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. He also served as Assistant Dean of the College of Engineering between 1979 and 1981. Bill enjoyed several sabbaticals at the U. S. Air Force Academy and at the Defense Intelligence College in Washington, DC.

Wild Bill was an extensive world traveler. As part of his travels, he taught Project Management Short Courses in South America, Australia, and Russia. Dr. Lesso had no shortage of tall tales. One of his fondest memories was climbing Ayer’s Rock – all the way, not just to the “top of the chain!” Jo traveled with Bill often, including sailing down the Yangtze River in China, way before tourists went there. More recently they traversed the Panama Canal.

Bill’s interests included dabbling in chaos theory, hurricane tracking and prediction. As a teenager he played accordion in a polka band. His lifelong love of music continued with “strangling the cat” also known as playing the violin and viola.

The joy of his retirement was serving as Regional Coordinator for the Jane Austen Society of North America, South Central Texas Region. One of his many passions was taking care of his “Little Free Library” that he initiated in his neighborhood.

Bill is survived by his wife of 62 years, Josephine Parker Lesso, brother Andrew Lesso of Mentor, Ohio, son William G. Lesso, Jr. and his wife Cecelia, daughters Mary Lesso Herbst, Anne Lesso, and Juliet Lesso Bianca and her husband Joseph. He is also survived by his honorary son, Liming Shao and wife Linda. He had ten grandchildren and six great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. His son David Lesso predeceased him.

Memorial Services will be conducted at one o’clock in the afternoon on Saturday, the 28th of March 2015, at St. Theresa's Catholic Church, 4311 Small Drive, Austin, TX 78731. Interment will follow in Assumption Cemetery under the direction of Cook-Walden Funeral Home.