William Parr

William Robert Parr, age 98, died after a brief illness on May 20, 2011 in Corpus Christi. He was born in Lockhart, Texas to James Robert and Betty Lou Parr on November 13, 1912. A near-lifelong residency in Robstown resulted from the purchase of farmland in Petronila that J R Parr bought after traveling to the area on the Blackland Special in the early 20th Century. Robert graduated from Robstown High School in 1930, followed by completion of a B.S in Civil Engineering from The Agricultural & Mechanical College of Texas in 1934 and commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the US Army. He and his wife, Mary Virginia, of 70 years were married in 1940. During World War II, Robert went to England with General Eisenhower's staff in 1942. Later he served as a Division Engineer with the 2nd Air Division of the 8th Army Air Force. He was honorably discharged as a Captain in 1946. After the war, he established Parr Block Company in Corpus Christi where he manufactured and sold concrete masonry building products for 40 years. He was a member of First United Methodist Church in Robstown. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Kathrine Burditt, brother J. Carl Parr, grandson Roland Clay Harding, niece Betty Lou Burditt, nephew Francis Allen Burditt, Jr. and son-in-law Henry Roland Harding. He is survived by his wife, Mary Virginia, children Robert and Dilek Parr of Boerne, Earl Parr of Corpus Christi, and Sylvia Parr Harding of Hilltop Lakes, Texas; also by eight grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, niece Lee Parr Phipps, and great-nieces Kathy Otahal and Brandy Shores and Margaret Crossen. A memorial service will be conducted on Wednesday, May 25, 2011 at 11:00 am in the First United Methodist Church in Robstown officiated by Rev. Barbara Dykes. Interment will be at 12 Noon Thursday in the family section of the Lockhart Cemetery.