Obituary Gonzales Inquirer Mar. 8, 2011

James William "Bill" Christian, 73, passed away Thursday March 3, 2011. He was born November 27, 1937 in Gonzales to Henry Eliza Christian and Nell Neighbors Christian.

Bill graduated from Gonzales High School where he earned a scholarship to Rice University in Houston to play Division I football. He was a member of the 1957 Southwest Conference Football Champion Rice Owls that defeated the previous years conference champions, the Bear Bryant coached, Texas A&M Aggies.

Bill, his father and brother David, founded the mineral mining company Southern Clay Products in 1951. Bill's adventurous spirit led him to learn to fly at the age of 14, and he eventually held a commercial pilot's license. He had dreams of flying in the United States Air Force but after college the obligation of the family business took a higher priority.

After the family sold SCP, Bill founded Transit Mix Concrete Company. He owned and operated several cattle ranches and managed oil and gas production from within these ranches.

Bill was a member of the Episcopal Church of the Messiah, the Gonzales Masonic Lodge, and the Texas Vaqueros for over 32 years. He was a founder and board member of Sage Capital Bank and served as Chairman of the Board for several years. He served as a director of the Texas Trail Riders Assand was a member of the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo for many years, where he served as a member of the calf scram committee.

Bill Christian was a generous loving, caring and kind man, Bill loved those that worked for him and he deeply loved in return. Bill was privately proud of his accomplishments on the football field, in business, ranching and community service, but his true glory days were at home with his wife and grandchildren.

Bill's most honored title was not CEO or Chairman of the Board, it was papa. Through the years Bill did his best to share in the lives of his children and later spoil his grandchildren. It wasn't uncommon for Bill to spend the whole day or for that matter the weekend in his boat, teaching his children and their friends how to water ski. Nor was it uncommon for Bill to found simply sittings by the camp fire boldly singing "You Never Even Called Me by My Nane" with a grandchild sitting on his lap singly boldly along. Bill was just the type of man, so loving, do nurturing, but to quote Robert Frost, "Nothing Gold Can Stay."

Bill was preceded in death by his parents and his brother David Christian.

A rosary was recited Monday evening at St. James Catholic Church and the family received friends prior to and after the vigil. A memorial service and celebration of Bill's life will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday March 8, 2011 in Seydler-Hill Funetal Home with Fr. Randy Melton officiating.