Bill Ervin Frazier

Bill was born on the 31st July 1931, in Walnut Springs, Texas, to William Ervin Frazier and Bevrie Frazier. He was preceded in death by his parents and by his lovely wife of 52 years, Rosanne Allen Frazier, who died on the 21st of April 2009, and who was the absolute love of his life and sparkle in his eye. He is survived by his children, Kimberly Ann Leach and husband Doug of Houston, Kyle Allen Frazier and wife Analisa of Houston, and Mark Eric Frazier and wife Brenda, of San Antonio; his grandchildren, Alexa Catherine Leach, Ashley Leach Keliehor and husband Kye Keliehor and daughter Lachlan, Kyle Brandt Frazier and Madeleine Marie Frazier of Houston, Austin Ryan Frazier, Andrew Allen Frazier, Taylor Reagan Frazier and Reed Blaschke Frazier of San Antonio; his brothers Charles Frazier and Jerre Frazier and wife Lu; his dear sweet sister-in-law Georgia Allen Friggle of Victoria, Texas; and numerous nieces, nephews, and other relatives.

Without a doubt, Bill’s greatest joy in life was spending time with his loving wife Rosanne and his children and grandchildren. His love and commitment to her was at the heart of all he did while she was alive. He missed her sorely these last five years since her death, but adapted amazingly well. It is a blessing that they are now forever united in heaven.

Bill’s family moved to Pasadena, Texas, when he was six years old. He grew up in Pasadena and maintained lifelong friendships with many of his friends from elementary, junior high, and high school. He was a four-sport star athlete at Pasadena High School (Class of 1949), which earned him a football scholarship to Rice University. He played fours for legendary coach Jess Neely, who he greatly admired and always talked about. He was very proud to have played for Rice in its glory years, when they won the Southwest Conference and won the Cotton Bowl during his freshman year (1949) and fifth year (1953). After graduating from Rice in the spring of 1954, he attended the USMC Quantico Boot Camp, another formative experience he treasured and always talked about, and then received an Army ROTC commission and served two years as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army stationed at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. He played football at Belvoir and afterwards was offered a contract to play pro football for the Chicago Cardinals.

While stationed at Belvoir, the pivotal moment of his life was meeting the love of his life, Kathryn Rosanne Allen, who was a flight attendant for Capital Airlines from Carmi, Illinois. He loved to tell the story of how they met, while he was an officer in the Army playing football and she was a young, beautiful flight attendant. They courtship didn’t last long and they were married a few months after they met, on the 6th of December 1956.

Bill started his professional life working as a trust officer at Houston Bank & Trust Company, where he also formed a number of lifelong friendships. While working full time as a trust officer and helping to raise three young children, he attended law school at the University of Houston, graduating in 1963. He continued work as a trust officer, both in Houston and Peoria, Illinois, until entering private practice with his brother Jerre in 1969 under the name Frazier & Frazier. A few years later he merged his practice with some old friends and practiced law for the next 15 years with a number of lawyers, including Jim Wyckoff, Bryant Russell, Bob Dunn, John Eikenberg and others. In 1986, his son Mark began practicing law with him and in 1991, his son Kyle joined his practice and he was back to where he started - Frazier & Frazier. He practiced law with his son Kyle for the last 23 years of his life. He was a wonderful mentor in the practice of law to both of his sons, who are eternally grateful for the wisdom, knowledge and grace he provided to them.

Throughout his professional life, he was active in and supported many organizations at Rice University, including the R Association, where he served as President, the Owl Club, and the RBI Club. He served on and chaired numerous committees of the church during the forty years he was a member of Seabrook United Methodist Church. Bill and Rosanne’s lives were wonderfully shaped by the forty years they lived together and raised their family in Timber Cove and attended Seabrook Methodist, where together they formed many lifelong relationships with very dear friends.

Though his life ended tragically and sooner than it should have, it is meaningful how he got to visit with so many of his close friends and family and did so many special things in the last few weeks of his life, like attending the Rice-Notre Dame football game in South Bend. The last thing he did was attend the Rice-A&M football game and watch the Aggie Band perform. One of the most exciting times of his life happened this past summer when he found out his grandson Brandt was going to follow in his footsteps and play baseball for Rice and live in the same college that he did. He was more excited than anyone in the family and was truly looking forward to the opportunity to watch him play for Rice. We know he will be watching from above.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from four o’clock in the afternoon until six o’clock in the evening on Saturday, the 20th of September, in the library and grand foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

The memorial service is to be conducted at two o’clock in the afternoon on Sunday, the 21st of September, at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 5501 S. Main in Houston.

Prior to the memorial service, the family will have gathered for a private interment at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery in Houston.

In lieu of customary remembrances, contributions in Bill’s memory may be directed to the R Association or the RBI Club at Rice University, MS 547, P.O. Box 1892, Houston, Texas 77251; St. Paul’s Methodist Foundation of Houston, 5501 South Main, Houston, Texas 77004; or the charity of your choice.