William Holland "Billy" PAGE

1946 - 2016

PAGE, William Holland
"Billy"
Billy Page, age 69 died peacefully on March 9, 2016 from complications of Alzheimer's disease. He was born on March 14, 1946 in Austin, Texas to Mary Beth Brown Page and Harold Lee Page, Sr. He felt he was lucky to live in Austin his whole life.

Billy attended the "old" Wooldridge Elementary School on West 24th Street, O. Henry Junior High School, and Stephen F. Austin High School (Rio Grande campus), where he played football, graduating in 1964. He was an Eagle Scout, obeying the Scout Oath: On my honor I will do my best, To do my duty to God and my country, and to obey the Scout Law, To help other people at all times, To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight; lived by the values of the Scout Law: trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, reverent. He practiced the Scout Motto: be prepared; and the Scout Slogan: do a good turn daily. He was a true gentleman and always kind to all he met.

Before attending Texas Christian University on a football scholarship, Billy played in the Big 33 Football All-Star Classic, an all-star football game featuring the best 33 football players from Texas and the best 33 football players from Pennsylvania. He boarded his first airplane flight to Hershey Pennsylvania with his helmet in hand and after the game he toured Washington, D. C. with his helmet still in hand. His summers were spent working for his grandfather, Holland Page, in highway construction, burning trash along the highway, and Nash Phillips Copus in home construction, but his favorite summer job was spent in Lake Tahoe with his good friends, working as the "break man" doing any job when the regular person had the day off. Billy spent two years at TCU playing football and was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity, but his hometown and "The University" called him home for his junior and senior years. He joined the Texas National Guard Army Reserves during the Vietnam War in 1968. He graduated from The University of Texas with a BBA in Marketing in 1969. On December 27, 1969 he married Lolla McNutt.

Billy's professional career included banking (business development at Capital National Bank), real estate and insurance (at Neiman Hanks & Puryear and Frost Insurance Agency). He served on the board of the Boy Scouts, Goodwill and the Salvation Army, and the alumni board at TCU. He served as President of the Austin TCU Alumni Association. He was President of the Independent Insurance Agents of Austin and was honored with the Distinguished Service Award in 1998. After he retired in 2010, Billy enjoyed volunteering with Mobile Loaves and Fishes, doing make-ready at Hat Creek Burger Company for their truck runs to the homeless. However, his favorite volunteer activity was coaching his daughter and son in their sports: kickball, softball and baseball. His hobbies included hunting, fishing and golf. For almost 20 summers he enjoyed golf trips to many courses with his golf group.

Billy was a member of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, serving on the vestry; the Admirals Club, serving as Fleet Admiral; Austin Country Club, serving on the board; the Headliners Club and Tarry House.

He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Lolla McNutt Page, his two children: Elizabeth Page Ryll and her husband Scott Ryll and William Holland Page, Jr. and his wife Marly Moate Page, and his five precious grandchildren: William Holland Page III (Holland), Elisabeth Ann Page (Annelise), Beverly McKean Page (McKean), Mary Myers Ryll and William Russell Ryll, who he loved dearly. He is also survived by his siblings: Harold Lee Page, Jr. (Wanda McCullough), Patricia Page Romer (Lou), Curtis Withers Page (Shelley Gerst), his brother-in-law Gordon McNutt (Kay Martin) and his nieces Margaret Page Williams, Caroline Page, Louise McNutt and nephews Russell McNutt, Steve McNutt, Larry Page, James Page, Brian Payne, Craig Payne and Page Payne. Billy is also survived by his first cousins: Thomas "Tommy" Wilder Brown (Bonnie), Anne Warwick Brown and John McCullough "Mac" Brown, who he spent many summers with in Galveston, Texas.

He was lovingly cared for by his family, friends and special caregivers Elizabeth Hernandez, Paul Estrada, the volunteers at MPAC (Memory Powered by Active Connections at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church), the staff at Brookdale Northwest Hills and Hospice Austin. We are eternally grateful for their love, compassion and loyalty.

The family is comforted knowing his faith in Christ and his place in Christ's heavenly kingdom.

Honorary pall bearers will be his nephews: Steve McNutt, Russell McNutt, Larry Page, James Page, Brian Payne, Craig Payne and Page Payne.

A memorial service for Billy will be held on Friday, March 11 at 2:00 pm at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Parish Life Center, 3201 Windsor Road, Austin, TX 78703.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to a favorite charity or: Alzheimer's Association, 3520 Executive Center Drive, Suite 140, Austin, TX 78731; Boy Scouts of America, 7540 Ed Bluestein Blvd., Austin, TX 78723; Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, P. O. Box 5176. Austin, TX 78763; Helping Hand Home for Children, 3804 Avenue B, Austin, TX 78751; or Hospice Austin, 4107 Spicewood Springs Road, Suite 100, Austin Texas 78759.

Obituary and memorial guestbook available online at www.wcfish.com