William Edward "Bill" Thater

William Edward “Bill” Thater, 76, of Marietta, passed peacefully in his sleep on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, at Iroquois Nursing Home. He was born and raised on the North Side of Syracuse, the only child of Edward John Thater and Madeline (Korthas) Thater. He grew up with close connections with his maternal cousins, Edward Sessler and Michael Krause. He attended Holy Trinity Elementary School, graduated from Bishop Grimes High School, and attended Onondaga Community College before becoming a pioneer in technology. A job working on early computers ignited a lifelong passion for programming and for the construction and administration of databases that Bill turned into a career in the then-emerging field of microcomputing. He co-authored a book and spoke at conferences in the US and Scotland. After spending most of his life in the Syracuse area, Bill relocated to Austin, Texas, with his family to pursue new opportunities at Randolph Air Force Base and Austin Independent School District. He recently returned to Central New York to live in the peaceful country, enjoying nature and wildlife. 

Bill is remembered for always having a story or anecdote for every situation. He enjoyed having long conversations, alternating between debating esoteric details about nearly any topic and laughing at his own jokes. He would spend many hours playing cards and board games with family and also enjoyed reading and watching science fiction; traits he passed on to the next generation. His children fondly remember the many trips to zoos, aquariums, and other animal parks that instilled a lifelong love of animals in all of them. Bill accomplished personal goals of race-walking at the 2001 Disney Marathon. At 57, he began the journey of recovering from a stroke with amazing horses, instructors and volunteers who helped him get stronger over many years. At 65, he was so proud when he won a 1st prize gold buckle at the Rodeo Austin Gold Stirrup Horseshow.

 Bill is survived by his wife, Sharon Thater and son, Michael; previous wife, Agnes Thater; his children Edward (Laura), Kristen, Allison, and Joseph; and a grandson, Thomas Patrick Thater. He was predeceased by his parents. 

Per his wishes, public services will not be held, but the family asks that in remembrance, donations can be made in his name to: Healing with Horses Ranch, 10014 FM973, Manor, TX 78653.

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