William Lowery Shockley, age 82, died Wednesday night, July 10, at home, with his family by his side. His remarkable life was so full of adventure and achievement that when Hospice said time was running short, he said he had nothing left on his bucket list.
Bill was born on Christmas Day 1930 in Cincinnati to William Burrell and Mary Ruth (Thurman) Shockley. With his sister, Mary Sue, he was raised in Tennessee and Arkansas, before moving to Dallas. He graduated from Highland Park HS in 1948. With a BSEE and MSEE from SMU, he was a pioneer in the telecommunications and computer industries, contributing to the early advancements of microminiaturization while at Collins Radio in the 1950s. His patents, publications, and product successes led to R&D and manufacturing innovations. Bill traveled the world through his work at E-Systems and Andrew Corporation, working on such significant projects as creating telecommunications and defense systems for the “chunnel” between France and England, the Siberian Railway, and the coastline of Chile. He was among the first businessmen to enter China when it opened to the West and among the last to flee Tehran in their revolution. His children even got to walk through Air Force One.
Bill helped to launch the Telecom Corridor and STARtech, Richardson’s tech incubator. He was routinely cited as a Technology Titan, often appearing with Jack Kilby, who invented the chip. Yes, he was that smart.
Bill was preceded in death by his first wife, Jackie Anderson, and their son Pat, with whom Bill shared a love of fishing and the outdoors.
He had a large family and many friends. He took part in scouting, camping and baseball with the boys, Alan, Pat, and Kevin. He rode horses with Laura until he fell and broke his tailbone. He married Patsy Lutes in 1974 and became Dad to Michelle and Melissa, never using the “step-word” to describe their relationship. He walked them both down the aisle.
Bill retired, but never stopped working. He loved McKinney and advised them on expansion of their airport to attract new businesses. He was instrumental in helping purchase a new facility for the Samaritan Inn, the only homeless shelter in Collin County. He fought to preserve a wooded tract of land in his neighborhood from future development.
Bill’s steadfast love, his wry humor, and his dignified manner will be missed by many, but especially Patsy, his soulmate of 39 years, Alan and Rosa Shockley, John and Gloria Sopko, Kevin and Liz Shockley, Laura and Rick Williams, Michelle and Larry Corson, Melissa Lavis, sister Mary Sue and Reed Hoover, and his sister-in-law Sharon (and Bob) Patrick and his 14 grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, July 15, at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 5871 W. Virginia Parkway, McKinney, TX 75071. You may honor Bill by supporting the Samaritan Inn, 1725 North McDonald Street, McKinney, TX 75071; Faith Presbyterian Hospice, 4350 Sigma Road, Suite 400, Dallas, TX 75244; sharing a memory at Remembered.com, or listening to Foggy Mountain Breakdown and feeling him smile from heaven.