Bill was born on the 29th of July 1930, in Clarksdale, Mississippi, to William A. and Mary C. McMinn. He was married on the 30th of August 1951, to Nancy F. McMinn, to whom he was lovingly married for 55 years until her death in 2007. Bill graduated from Clarksdale, Mississippi High School in 1948 and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Chemistry from Vanderbilt University in 1952. While attending school in Nashville, he met his wife Nancy, who was a student at Ward Belmont College. During their marriage, they lived in Houston, Boston, Yazoo City, MS, New York, Philadelphia, Austin, and Brenham.
Bill's storied career began as a research chemist at Monsanto Chemical in Texas City in 1952, and progressed through a number of executive roles with Petro-Tex Chemical, Mississippi Chemical, Delta Industries, and FMC Corporation. In 1986, he returned to Houston, joining the Sterling Group. Over the next several years, he was involved with some of the most successful business transactions of that era, assuming the role of President of Cain Chemical from 1987-89, Chairman of Arcadian Corporation from 1990-97, and Chairman of Texas Petrochemicals from 1997-2003. He also served on several boards of directors in the chemical, nanotechnology, and biotechnology industries. During that period, Bill worked with, and for, his great friend and mentor, Gordon Cain, whose love and friendship he treasured throughout his adult life.
To most of his friends, Bill was a “one-of-a-kind” businessman, community leader, and friend. He spent his life helping others, never expecting anything in return. He was inquisitive, witty, and passionate about everything he touched. He had many interests. He was a lifelong student of history, physics, and astronomy. He spent nearly 40 years in cattle ranching, owning ranches in Brenham, Johnson City, McDade, and Gustine. He participated in the 1989 Montana Centennial Cattle Drive. He flew in a F-16 fighter jet. He was actively engaged in the Texas political process as a friend and supporter to many current and past political leaders representing Texas and the US, and served as Chairman of the board for Texas Public Policy Foundation, and on the board of directors for the Associated Republicans of Texas. He was an angel-investor in many leading-edge technologies including biotechnology, nanotechnology, bio-pharmaceutical, and the private space industries. In 1998, he was awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award from his alma mater, Vanderbilt University, where he proudly served on its Board of Trust from 1993-2001. He was also honored with a lifetime membership on their College Cabinet and Chancellor's Council. He received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Abilene Christian University in 2001. He spent over 20 years passionately serving as a member of The Brookwood Community Advisory Board. And, throughout their life together, he and Nancy proudly and graciously shared their financial success with many important charitable and educational causes, including endowing several university honorary scholarships and chairs.
He is survived by his four children, son, William A. McMinn III and his wife Marie C. McMinn of Colorado Springs, CO; his daughter, Mary M. Ogden of Houston, his daughter, Nancy M. Beasley and her husband Stephen C. Beasley of Houston, and his daughter, Patricia C. McMinn of Brookshire, Texas; five grandchildren, Michael McMinn, Christina Snyder and her husband Dyric, Tommy Ogden and his wife Marguerite, Brad Beasley, and Kate Beasley; four great-grandchildren; and his two sisters, Mrs. Caroline Murphy of Tampa, Florida and Sister Mary Magdalen of Lake Villa, Illinois.
He will truly be missed by all of his family and friends.
The memorial service is to be conducted at two o’clock in the afternoon on Wednesday, the 20th of April, in the Chapel of The Brookwood Community, 1752 FM 1489 in Brookshire.
In lieu of customary remembrances, the family respectfully requests friends to make contributions, in the name of William A. McMinn, Jr., to The Brookwood Community, 1752 FM 1489, Brookshire, TX, 77423.
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