parkcitiespeople.com | May 2021 41 OBITUARIES
BETTY ESTHER BOCK
ROBERT “BOB” ROGERS WILLIAMS
11/04 /1930 – 11/07/2020
B
etty Esther Bock, 90, a long-time resident of Highland and University Park, passed away unexpectedly on Nov. 7, 2020, due to complications from a recent accident. Born in Phoenix, AZ, she is survived by 4 of her six children, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
Betty was devoted to her children and passionate about art, music, and literature. She was a strong Christian. She never drank but said that she would learn to enjoy drinking wine in heaven. “Cheers, Betty!” A service will be held for her at a later date at St. Josephs Catholic Church in Richardson.
KIRBY HARDY SMITH
07/14 /1960 – 03/05/2021
K
irby Hardy Smith, 60, of Dallas, TX, died March 5, 2021, in a tragic skiing accident in Big Sky, MT. Kirby is survived by his devoted family: wife, Stephanie, and sons, Aidan and Weston, all of Dallas; brother, Ray Smith of Bryant, AR; sister, Sharon Short of Bryant, AR; niece, Cally Adcock and her husband, Cory of Cave Springs, AR; nephew, Drew Short of Bentonville, AR; and two great-nephews, Ferguson Adcock and Fitz Adcock of Cave Springs, AR.; mother-in-law, Jean Alston; father-in-law, Thomas J. Alston both of Texarkana, TX; sister-in-law, Elizabeth Alston Sheehan; brother-in-law, Paul Sheehan and their sons, Connor and Avery, all of Port Orchard, WA. Kirby was born July 14, 1960, in Nashville, TN, the son of Wanda Hardy Smith and Noel Ray Smith. He was predeceased by his parents as well as his grandparents, Floye and Deane Hardy, Sr., and Lillian and Nathaniel Smith. Kirby graduated from Bryant High School in Bryant, AR, and earned his bachelor of arts degree from Rhodes College in Memphis, TN. He received his MBA in finance and accounting from Emory University in Atlanta, GA. Since 2005, Kirby worked at Barrow Hanley Global In-
vestors in Dallas, serving most recently as managing director and client portfolio manager. Before joining Barrow Hanley, Kirby served as managing director of institutional equity sales for Bear Stearns. Prior to joining Bear Stearns, he worked at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, and Lehman Brothers. Before his investment banking career, Kirby held positions in public accounting and corporate finance. He was a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, as well as the Certified Financial Analyst Society of Dallas-Fort Worth. Kirby played as hard as he worked, if not harder. He loved researching and collecting Klipsch speakers, his early-morning tennis matches before work, dirt bike racing, golf, skiing (water and snow), boating and riding his jet skis on the lake, and riding his motorcycles. He was passionate about watching all Arkansas Razorbacks games – football, basketball, and baseball – and Dallas Stars hockey. But nothing gave him more pleasure and satisfaction than spending time with and providing love and support to his family – both immediate and extended – and his legions of loyal, longtime friends. A celebration of Kirby ’s life will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, March 12, at Park Cities Presbyterian Church in Dallas, with a reception to follow at the Warwick Melrose Hotel, the same location where Stephanie and Kirby welcomed family and friends to their wedding reception more than 28 years ago. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Klipsch Museum of Audio History – https://www.klipschmuseum.org/donations – or the ministry of your choice.
01/26/1931 – 03/07/2021
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obert Rogers Williams, 90, died peacefully Sunday, March 7, 2021, in Ridgeland, MS. He was a kind, honest, gentle man who loved God, his country, and his family. Born January 26, 1931, in Jefferson, TX, to the late Robert Leon and Texie Rogers Williams, his lineage traces back to Texas land grant settlers. His grandfather, B.B. Rogers, served as Sheriff of Jefferson. In his high school years, Robert was captain of the Jefferson Bulldogs football team, playing both quarterback as well as defense, and was on the baseball team, too -- all the while graduating as Salutatorian and voted Class Favorite. The first member of his family to attend college, Bob graduated from The University of Texas in Austin with a B.S. in Geology in 1953. Through the G.I. program, he drilled water wells in France at Dreux AFB as a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and courted his hometown sweetheart and future wife, Robin Richey, who was studying music in nearby Paris. They married June 17, 1956, achieving 64 anniversaries, frequently holding hands and
telling each other how much they loved each other. That same year he began work with Humble Oil (later Exxon) in Grand Isle, LA. Friends joked that he reported to offshore oil well supervision with a briefcase in one hand and his fishing rod in the other. He celebrated all three of their daughters’ births in New Orleans, while he gained the title of Division Exploration Staff Geologist. In 1968 Robert and Robin relocated to Dallas as he became Manager of Texas Offshore Exploration for General American Oil. Through his career, he was Chief Geologist with W.R Grace Natural Resources; Vice President of Exploration for May Petroleum, was a founder of Woodbine Petroleum, and then started his consultancy with several clients and was one of the first to gain his Environmental Certification. Being involved in the oil business was a thrill for him. He was extremely active in the AAPG, SIPES, DGGS, the Houston Geological Society, and the Dallas Geological Society, serving as a Vice President of the DGS. He was skilled in many sports and hobbies but remained humble. He would return from convention tennis tournaments saying he “played alright” but later unpacked silver trophies engraved with his name as the champion. He enjoyed fishing and hunting, having left-handedly shot an award-winning elk in Wyoming (he was right-handed!) in his first hour of the trip while cleaning his glasses, saying good-naturedly, “I had nothing to do with this. He just appeared before me!” Having a trademark chuckle, a twinkle in his
eye, and a quick smile, he loved a good joke and a long yarn. Far beyond his career, his wife, daughters, family, and faith in Jesus were most important. He patiently taught hunting, football, driving, and map-reading skills to his three girls. A big fan of the all-American road trip, he hit the brakes at almost every road cut or “Hysterical Marker.” He was a loyal friend, a lifetime reader, and learner, and had served as a Trustee for Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas and was active in the Wesleyan Fellowship Class. He and Robin moved to Jackson, MS, in 2014 to be close to their eldest daughter Claire’s family and joined Holy Trinity Anglican Church. In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his younger brother, Jerry L. Williams. He is survived by his wife Robin; his beloved daughters; Claire Williams Aiken (Richard) of Jackson, MS, Alison W. Hogan Vinson (Wade) of Houston, TX and Susan Williams Haas ( John) of Austin, TX; grandchildren Robert Aiken (Corey) of Jackson, Elizabeth “Beth” Aiken Hudspeth (Seth) of Jackson; Claire Hogan, Rob Hogan, and Lauren Hogan, all of Austin, TX; Andrew Haas (Eliana) of Long Island City, NY, and Erin Haas and Benjamin Haas, both of Austin, TX, as well as five great-grandchildren. The family gathered for a memorial service in Jefferson, TX, on March 13, 2021. In lieu of flowers, the family requests gifts in his honor to be sent to Holy Trinity Anglican Church of 432 Bozeman Rd, Madison, MS 39110.
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