Willis Alfred Adcock

Willis Adcock ADCOCK, Willis Alfred, electrical engineer, educator; died on December 16, 2003, in Austin, Texas. He was born in St. John’s, Quebec, Canada, November 25, 1922. He came to the United States in 1936 and was naturalized in 1944. He was the son of William Arthur and Luella (White) Adcock. He married Eleanor Goller in 1943 and they had 4 children. She preceded him in death. He later married Sara McCoy Whiddon, December 28, 1970. He is survived by his wife, Sara McCoy Adcock; his children by a previous marriage: William Adcock, Robert Adcock, Edward Adcock and Margaret Adcock; children by marriage: Mary Whiddon, Robert Whiddon and Walter Whiddon. Willis attended high school in upper New York. He graduated from Hobart College, Geneva, N.Y., with a BS cum laude in 1943. He entered the U.S. Army in 1944 and served at Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He received a PhD in Physical Chemistry from Brown University in 1948, M.L.A. from Southern Methodist University in 1975, and Scd (honorary), from Hobart College in 1989. He moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, working for Stanolind Oil and Gas Company from 1948 – 1953. He joined Texas Instruments in Dallas in 1953 where he was Manager of the Development department and Manager of the Integrated Circuits department, he retired as Vice President and Principal Fellow in 1986. He came to Austin in 1986 as Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the University of Texas. He was appointed to the Cockrell Family Regents Chair in 1986. He became Chair Professor Emeritus in 1993. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma XI, Fellow, Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (1964), member, National Academy of Engineering, 1974. Willis contributed many articles to professional journals and has patents in his field. He is past President of Texas Instruments Austin Retirees Club, past President of the Austin English Speaking Union and an active member of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd. Willis was a longtime member of Visitor’s Council of the McDonald Observatory. He was an active participant of The Arbor Series and Austin Symphony, as well as the Austin Lyric Opera. Recently, he became a member of Rotary International. Memorial services will be held at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, December 20, 2003 at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd. Honorary pallbearers will be Hans Mark, Jack Kilby, Harvey Cragon, Earnest Gloyna, John Drisdale, Harvey Garner, Steve Deronian and David Beer. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, 2205 Moffett, Austin, Texas 78731, or to any worthwhile charity. Arrangements by Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home, 3125 N. Lamar, Austin, Texas 78705 (512) 452-8811. You may view memorials online at www.wcfish.com