William R. Gall

Born October 15, 1927, passed away January 19, 2016. The son of Ray and Adeline Gall, he was reared on a farm in Clinton County, Missouri. He was a graduate of Lathrop high School, class of 1945, where he was class president and recipient of the Herman Grant award as outstanding student athlete. He earned his B.S. degree in business from the University of Missouri, where he participated in both football and baseball, and was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity. He subsequently signed a professional baseball contract with the Cleveland Indians and played in the Georgia-Florida league in 1949. He was a Navy veteran of World War II, and again served his country during the Korean War, rising from enlisted rank to the grade of captain in the U.S. Marine Corps. Upon his return to inactive duty, he obtained an M.B.A. degree in management from the University of Tulsa. On May 23, 1953, he married Laura Hudson Woods of Abilene, Texas, whom he had met while she was a student at Christian College and he was at University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. He and Laura raised their two daughters, living in Tulsa, Oklahoma; Greenville, Texas; Evansville, Indiana; and finally settled in Dallas, Texas in 1963.

Bill enjoyed a successful career as a business executive including Senior Vice-President at Republic National Bank of Dallas, President of Pandick Dallas, and Chairman and CEO of Executrans. During his tenure at Republic Bank, he graduated from the Columbia University Executive Program, was elected Chairman of the Texas Bankers Association Trust Division, served as Chairman of the National Trust School at Northwestern University, and was a corporate director of Mary Kay. He ended his business career by serving as the Chief Operating Officer of the Dallas Methodist Hospital Foundation. He was an active board member of Mary Kay Cosmetics and the Friends of the Dallas Public Library. Bill remained active during his retirement playing golf with his close friends at Brook Hollow Golf Club where he had been a member since 1974. His other passion was his beautiful rose garden, which he lovingly tended for years, and he was always eager to share his flowers with family and friends.

He is pre-deceased by his wife, Laura Woods Gall. Survived by daughter Catherine Gall Parker and husband, Craig; granddaughter, Lindsay Parker Byerly and husband, Tracy; granddaughter, Lexie Caroline Parker; great grandchildren, Sayler, Tripp, and Bridget Byerly; daughter Caren Gall Lucas; granddaughter, Casey Burgess Wilson and husband, Billy; granddaughter, Corie Burgess Lewelling and husband Jesse ; grandson, William Michael Burgess and wife, Becky; great granddaughters, Trystan and Presley Schirf, Hero Burgess, and great grandsons Repps Wilson and Soren Burgess. He was pre-deceased by his siblings, Lily Mary Wallace and Robert Dean Gall.

The family would like to thank the staff at Windsor Senior Living and All-Star Hospice who lovingly cared for Bill in his final days.

A Funeral Service will be held at Sparkman Northwest Chapel, 7405 W. Northwest Hwy., Dallas, TX 75225 at 10:00 am on Friday, January 22, 2016. The family will receive friends at 9:00 am before the service. Burial will follow in Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, contribution may be made to the Greater Dallas Alzheimer’s Association, Friends of the Dallas Public Library, Methodist Hospital of Dallas Foundation, or the charity of your choice. Online condolences may be made at www.Sparkman-Hillcrest.com.