William Joseph ”Bill” Burgess Jr

March 3, 1924 - April 20, 2017

William Joseph ”Bill” Burgess, Jr., 93, passed away Thursday, April 20, 2017 surrounded by his loving family at Hospice Austin’s Christopher House. Bill lived a long, fruitful life seasoned with a sense of humor and a love of learning. Born March 3, 1924 in upper Manhattan New York, he worked in a variety of jobs as a young man including elevator operator in the Empire State Building. When war came, he entered the Navy and served as a 2d Class Motor Machinist Mate on an LCT, participating in the D-Day invasion of Normandy, landing tanks and fresh water to the American forces on Utah Beach and returning American and German wounded to England. After the war, he received his Bachelors in Geology from St. Peter’s College in New Jersey, and when his soulmate, Rita Maria Riley, said "Yes" to his proposal of marriage, they married and moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma to pursue his profession as Geologist for several oil companies. In 1968, Bill received his Ph.D. in Geology from Columbia University, New York City. Living in Tulsa and moving to several other cities in Oklahoma, he and Rita were blessed with 6 wonderful children. Although frequent geologic moves had their ups and downs, his children will always remember him as a kind and compassionate father with a kind and encouraging smile. Following the death of his wife Rita in 1984, Bill embarked on a teaching career instructing American servicemen and women in Germany. In 1996, Bill met Elizabeth Barker, an English woman who became a loving companion and they married a year later. They both enjoyed nearly 20 years of happy marriage, living in Harrogate, a beautiful English “Garden Town” in North Yorkshire England. Bill is predeceased by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. William J. Burgess Sr., his brother Thomas and sisters Eileen Connolly and Frances McCarthy as well as loving spouses Rita Marie Riley Burgess and Elizabeth Burgess. He is survived by his sons and daughters and their spouses William & Annette Burgess III of Greenville, South Carolina; John & Sarah Burgess of Austin, Texas; Rita Marie Burgess of Racine, Wisconsin; Patricia & Damien Daville of Spicewood, Texas; Thomas & Su Burgess of Austin, Texas; Christopher & Suzie Burgess of Austin, Texas and Andrew Bennett of Milpitas, California. Bill also had many grandchildren: Sarah Burgess Corso and Katie Day, Megan Burgess, Sean Burgess and spouse, Amy; Mary Katherine Timbers and spouse, Justin; William Burgess IV and spouse, Stephanie; Riley and Diana Burgess, Mary Rose Burgess Quiroz, Frankie Orr and Michael and Kevin Burgess - all who will dearly miss him. A Memorial Mass celebrating Bill’s life will be held on Wednesday, April 26, 2017 at 1:30 pm at St. Louis, King of France Catholic Church, 7601 Burnet Road, Austin, Texas. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be sent to Hospice Austin’s Christopher House, 2820 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Austin, TX 78702.