William Solomon "Buddy" McCray

William Solomon "Buddy" McCray of Spicewood, Texas died on Sunday, July 28, 2013 at the age of 60 years old. Buddy will be greatly missed by his family and many friends. His ready smile, his many "stories", and his love of nature will continue to live in the hearts of all who knew him.

Born on April 15, 1953 in Dallas, Texas to Bill and Phyllis McCray, he joined his older sister to complete the family. Moving in childhood to Houston and then to Lakeway as a teen, Buddy graduated from Westlake High School in 1972. He then attended the Colorado School of Trades and graduated as a certified gunsmith. Returning to Austin, he worked as a machinist until being hired by the then fledgling Southwest Airlines where he worked until he retired in 2006. His co-workers at SWA became an extended and loving family to Buddy. Friends and family state that he could fix anything and he always had many projects going; projects like fixing old cars and boats, redoing a golf cart so his Labrador retriever could ride with him down to the lake and tinkering with tools to make old things new. Buddy loved all outdoor activities from water skiing and snow skiing to hunting all types of game and fowl as well as fresh and salt-water fishing. If you could not find Bud, you knew he was out hunting or fishing somewhere. Lake Travis was his special place and he spent the majority of his life beside that lake. He also loved people - how many funny, interesting, outrageous stories he could tell to get everyone laughing! He was a much loved son, brother, brother-in-law, uncle and friend.

Buddy is preceded in death by his father, William Solomon McCray and his mother Phyllis Brown McCray. He is survived by his sister and her husband, Susan and Harry Craig of Boerne, Texas; his niece and her husband, Carolyn and Chris Roelse of Round Rock; his nephew and wife, John and Sarah Craig of Boerne; and three great-nieces, Kendall, Kimber, and Kailey Craig of Boerne. They loved their Uncle Bud.

A celebration of Buddy's life will be held on Monday, August 5 at 5 P.M. at Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home North at 3125 North Lamar, Austin 78705.

In lieu of flowers, please make contributions in Buddy's memory to The Wounded Warrior Project, www.woundedwarriorproject.org.