Roll Call Tribute

Bill Dean Webb 

June 13, 1928 - July 17, 2023 

Bill D. Webb, 95, formerly of Georgetown and Beaumont, Texas passed away July 17, 2023. Bill was born near Ralls, Texas to Ethel and Ira Webb. His family was in the farming business where Bill spent most of his youth.

After graduating from Ralls High School in 1945, he enrolled at Texas A&M University to continue his education. His studies at Texas A&M were interrupted while Bill served in the United States Air Force from 1950-54 during the Korean War. It was while stationed in Michigan that he met the love of his life, best friend and partner, Gladys Schram. They were married August 14, 1954 at Christ Church in Gladys’s hometown of Chatham, Ontario, Canada.

Bill and Gladys returned to College Station, Texas where he finished both his undergraduate and doctoral degree in Biochemistry in 1961. He was employed as a research scientist by the USDA-ARS at the Texas A&M Rice Research Center in Beaumont, Texas. His career spanned 35 years in the US Rice Industry. He provided innovative and significant research to the development of U.S. rice varieties around the world, and allowed him the opportunity to travel to most of the world’s rice producing countries. He was author or coauthor of numerous scientific publications, book chapters, and reports on rice. He was also the recipient of various honors and awards by the scientific, academic and rice industry sectors. Bill was appointed to the graduate faculty at Texas A&M University; elected, a Fellow of the American Association of Cereal Chemists. He retired in 1996 as Research Leader of the USDA Rice Research Program at Beaumont, Texas.

After retirement, Bill and Gladys made their home in Sun City, Georgetown, Texas where they remained in their home until 2019. Bill was always an avid golfer, and continued to play into his 90s. Since 2019 they have resided at Belmont Village Senior Living in Lakeway, Texas.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Margie Frost, and his brother Bob Webb. He is survived by Gladys, his wife of almost 69 years, by his sons, Douglas Webb and wife Dianne of Austin, Dennis Webb and wife Patti of Sacramento, California, his daughter Diane Hoth and husband Michael of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, and his grandsons, Derek Webb, and Dean and Will Hoth.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks those who wish to send memorial donations to Austin Hospice, who have been angels these last years.