William Burns (Bill) Collier

William Burns (Bill) Collier died on June 28th at his home in Hackett, Arkansas at the age of 100. He was born October 3, 1909 in Fort Smith, the son of Horace William Collier and Erla Lillian Poynor Collier of Clarksville, Arkansas. He had one brother and two sisters Herman Jackson (Jack) Collier, formerly of Glendale California, Mary Frances Borroff, formerly of Seattle, Washington, both deceased, and Florence Jean Simmons now living in Peoria, Arizona. Bill attended the College of the Ozarks in Clarksville, then transferred to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree and did post-graduate work.

He worked for the B.F. Goodrich Company in Akron, Ohio. He worked initially to troubleshoot problems with rubber v-belts on farm machinery and inventing new production processes. During World War II, he worked on various military projects, including an all-terrain tracked vehicle called the “Weasel”. During this time he met Mary Elizabeth (Libby) Wardrep of Jefferson City, Tennessee, a nursing student at Western Reserve University in Cleveland. They were married in 1947 and recently celebrated their 63rd anniversary.

His later years with B. F. Goodrich were spent with the new Aerospace Division. He was instrumental in developing the spacesuits for the original Mercury astronauts. He retired in 1971 and later moved to the farm in Hackett which he had bought from his father. He ran a cattle operation and supplied hardwood lumber to fine furniture makers.

He and Libby have two children, (Elizabeth) Ann Collier now living in Little Elm, Texas and (William) Steve Collier now living in Hackett. Bill was a very loving and protective husband and father.

In addition to his wife Libby, he leaves three grandsons: Michael Burns Collier and Brian David Collier of Austin, Texas and Gregory Alva Collier in the U. S. Marines Corps based at Camp Pendleton, California.

The family will greet friends from 3:00 to 5:00 PM, Thursday, July 1st at the McConnell Funeral Home, 137 N. Main Street, Greenwood. There will be a private memorial service at a later date.

To place an online tribute visit www.mcconnellfh.com .