We give thanks for the life of Bill Collie, (William Levinson Collie, Jr.) who passed away suddenly Sunday, June 16, 2013. He was born July 5, 1936, in Pecos, Texas to the late Josephine (Williams) and William L. Collie, Sr. He married Charolette Watson on March 24, 1962 in Odessa, Texas. He is survived by his wife Charolette, brother Charles Wilson Collie and wife Pat, daughter Molly Collie and Joe Postnikoff, son Morris Watson and Dana Collie, son Lance Cole and Cheryl Collie; grandchildren Kate and Garrett Irvin, Magdalyn Postnikoff, Patton and Victoria Collie, Park and Finn Collie. Also surviving is his nephew Don Charles Collie, niece Linda Collie Nance, their spouses Monica and Alan and children. Bill was also “Uncle Bill” to numerous Watson nieces, nephews and other extended family members.
Bill was a fifth generation Texan and a 1954 graduate of Pecos High School, home of the Fighting Pecos Eagles. He attended University of Texas School of Engineering and later served in the U.S. Army for “2 years 11 months and 9 days”. Bill was a third generation Rotarian and active in Rotary Clubs since 1961. He was President of two clubs in Pecos and Odessa and a member in Austin, Harlingen and Burnet. In 1961 he took over the family commercial electrical contracting business at the death of Bill Sr. and expanded it into a dealership for Carrier AC. In 1974 he began a 31year career with Nunn Electric Supply as a manager in Austin, Odessa and Harlingen. He retired as a President in the company in 2006 and moved to Burnet.
Bill was “one-of-a-kind”. Meeting him was a memorable experience and he could make any person feel they were special. He effortlessly commanded any room because he had that unique presence. Deeply Texas proud, he loved his family passionately and was known to drive all over, even across the Red River to watch his grandchildren participate in their activities and sports. He took great pride in his version of “Splexican’ when working with banks in Mexico, although they were not nearly as impressed with his command of their native tongue.
He had a generous heart and was a forever friend. Bill and Charolette enjoyed almost 40 years of friendships with the ABCS&Gs so called by all their motley kids. He spent 45 years of special friendships in the Davis Mountains at “Deer Camp”. Known as a committed UT fan with tickets to Longhorn football, basketball and baseball, there are many photographs of him wearing burnt orange and his hand up flashing a Hook ‘Em Horns sign.
Bill leaves all who know him with a big space that is filled with love and memories of gatherings with family and friends as the fun guy talking and laughing, with a full working box next to the oversized chair on the back porch, with lots of western music for backdrop of a life well lived. He was King Daddy to his children, Big Bill to his friends and simply Granddad. Vaya con Dios (or some version of that, pick your favorite Bill Collie-ism!). In lieu of flowers, memorials to the Burnet Boys & Girls Club, La Care food bank in Burnet or Rotary Club International.
The Memorial Service for Bill will be held at 11:00 A.M.Thursday, June 20, 2013, at the Clements-Wilcox Funeral Home in Burnet officiated by Reverend Ernest Spiekermann. www.clementswilcoxburnet.com.
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