William Robert Wallis

William Robert “Bill” Wallis died peacefully, with his wife by his side, on Saturday, November 5th, 2016, after battling fiercely and courageously with two rare diseases.
Service: Celebration of Life: 2:00 pm, Thursday, William C. Martin United Methodist Church, Bedford. Interment: Bluebonnet Hills Memorial Park, Colleyville. Visitation: 6-9 pm Wednesday, Lucas Funeral Home, Hurst.
Memorials: In lieu of flowers, donations/contributions can be made to the Loeys-Dietz Foundation or the Cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct) Foundation.
A proud native, Bill was born on July 11, 1947, in Denton, Texas, to Robert P. and Mary Eva Walton Wallis. Bill graduated from Denton High School in 1965. He served in the U. S. Army from 1968-1970, receiving the National Defense Service Medal.
In 1973 he graduated from UTA. As an electrical engineer, he worked for Texas Instruments as a program manager in Research, Design, & Development of several military projects including radars used at airports worldwide. At Raytheon, Bill worked as project manager for RD&D of military GPS systems, technology which we all use today. During his career with Nokia & Nokia/Siemens, he was project manager for RD&D of phone base stations used around the world.
For over 25 years, Bill has volunteered with Special Olympics. He worked with HEBISD to strengthen their program, and he helped in developing the Special Friends program for adult athletes. As coach and head of delegation, the program grew from one sport with nine athletes to nine sports with over 200 participants. Bill was honored as North East Tarrant County Coach of the Year twice. He and his family have also been honored as Family of the Year.
Bill married his high school sweetheart, Maxine Ann Turner, in May, 1970. They moved to Euless, where they’ve lived over 46 years and raised their two sons.
Bill proved beyond measure his love and commitment to his family, extended family, and dear friends. You could always call on him and depend on him. He could solve most every problem.
He was loved and admired by many and will be sincerely missed.
Preceded in death by his parents, his son Tyson Howard Wallis and granddaughter Olivia Jeannette.
Survivors: Bill is survived by his wife Maxine and his son Walton of Euless; beloved granddaughter, Eleanor; sister Wilma Evans, her husband Joe; extended family Darlene and Danny Culpepper, Charlene and Fulton Deaton; nieces and nephews Courtney, Stan, Camryn & Zachary Kerlick, Jason, Meredith, Elizabeth & Sarah Culpepper, Cliff, Janet, Preston, Ethan, Colin, Carson and Shyla Culpepper, Andrew, Courtney & Mya Turner, Lauren Deaton, and Spencer & Stephanie Deaton.