Roll Call Tribute

William T. "Bill" Rife, Jr., COL USA (Ret) 

December 17, 1926 - January 30, 2025 

William (“Bill”) Thomas Rife, Jr. passed from this life on January 30, 2025 in Sugar Land, Texas. He was surrounded by Gloria Rife, his wife of over 47 years, as well as children and a grandchild.

Three of Bill’s most favorite sayings were “Can’t never could,” “You can do whatever you set your mind to,” and “Don’t tell me what you can’t do - tell me what you can do;” mottos that marked Bill’s life and characterized the way that he lived. Bill was a determined man who worked hard. He cared deeply for his family to the very end and always endeavored to excel at whatever he attempted. He also made an effort for special time with family and friends. Bill leaves behind a proud legacy including a loving wife, an illustrious military career, a large family of children, step-children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, and many friends.

Bill was born on December 17, 1926 as the sole child of William T. Rife, Sr. and Myldred B. Rife, at Baylor Hospital in Dallas, Texas. He grew up in Dallas, Texas, attending Oak Cliff Baptist Church and graduating from Sunset High School in 1944. Bill was an avid golfer and a member of the High School golf team. He also had a keen interest in chemistry and spent many hours in a back yard lab that he had built by hand.

Bill later met Gloria Cobb Rumsey who became the love of his life throughout their long standing marriage. Gloria was always at Bill’s side even to the end at the time of his passing in Sugar Land, Texas.

Bill first attended the A&M College of Texas as a freshman in A Battery Field of the Corps of Cadets in the summer of 1944. However, Bill’s initial time at Texas A&M was cut short when he was drafted at the tail end of World War II in March, 1945. He was inducted into the U.S. Army as an Infantry Private following basic training in Fort Benning, Georgia with a radio operator specialty. Shortly thereafter, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and was assigned to be the Executive Officer of Company I, 6th Infantry Division in Pusan, South Korea. Bill later returned to Texas A&M College where he graduated with a Chemical Engineering Degree in May, 1950. He worked for a short period as a civilian engineer in the Texas oil patch with Magnolia Oil Company, at which time he met and married Mary Cadden Rife with whom he had four children. However, Bill returned to the military shortly thereafter to pursue a long and full career.

Bill served a total of 31 years in the Unites States Army, retiring as a Regular Army Colonel. He served during World War II and in the Viet Nam War. He also served in Korea in 1946 with the United States Occupation Forces as Executive Officer of Company I, 6th Infantry Division based in Pusan, South Korea. Bill was a graduate of the Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, the Army War College in Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, and the U.S. Army Engineering School in Fort Belvoir, Virginia. He also received a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from George Washington University in 1971.

Bill’s Army assignments included an Armored Infantry Unit Command with the 42nd Armored Infantry Battalion in 1952, an Armored Engineer Unit Command with the 16th Armored Engineer Battalion in 1954, an Armored Company Commander with the 2nd Armored Division’s 57th Tank Battalion in Germany in 1956, Battalion Commander of the 2nd Armored Division’s 1st of the 66th Armored Regiment in Fort Hood, Texas in the 1967, as well as G-3 of 2nd Armored Division. Bill’s other assignments included a three-year stint as a Military Science Instructor at Texas A&M College in the late 50's and early 60's, an instructor of Different Larger Unit Operations at the Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., service on General Westmoreland’s staff with MACV in Vietnam in 1966-67, and various other 1st Army and 2nd Armored posts.

Bill was awarded the World War II Victory Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Vietnamese Staff Service Honor Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, the Legion of Merit with one Oak Leaf Cluster (2nd highest honor for service), the Army of Occupation Medal (Germany), American Campaign Medal, the National Defense Service Medal with two Bronze Service Stars, the General Staff Identification Badge, Army Commendation Medal, Parachutist Badge, Expert Infantry Badge, and the Good Conduct Medal.

Upon discharge from the military in 1975, Bill entered the professional placement industry working with engineers. He formed his own company known as Eagle Search for which he worked for several years until his final retirement in the early 1980's.

Following retirement, Bill and Gloria moved to the Texas Hill Country where they made their home on their Blanco County ranch. Bill remained active with his endless life-long project of improving the ranch and building and adding onto their home. One of Gloria and Bill’s most favorite times were sitting together on the front porch looking out over the countryside. Bill and Gloria also loved to sing, serving in the choir at Trinity Baptist Church in San Antonio, Texas and First Baptist Church of Blanco, Texas. Bill was also a lifelong Mason in the Sul Ross Lodge of College Station, Texas and the Blanco Masonic Lodge.

Bill is preceded in death by his parents, William T. Rife, Sr. and Myldred B. Rife. He is survived by his wife, Gloria Rumsey Rife, four children, Wayne T. Rife and wife Ann, Jennifer Rife Ellis and husband Terry, Michael Craig Rife and life partner Lupita Lujan, Pamela Rife Frusha and husband Robert, step-daughter, Diane Cichowski and husband Leonard, and step-son Kells Rumsey; grandchildren Heather Rife Stage and husband Clint, Kimberly Grace Rife, Laura Ann Rife, Shawn Michael Ellis and wife Sarah, Stephen Michael Ellis and wife Erin, Laci A. Frusha, Ryan R. Frusha and wife Brittny, Christina E. Frusha, Matthew R. Frusha and partner Bri, Jasmine N. Frusha, Amy L. Frusha, Melinda D. Sanders, Laura L. Hill, and Jenae N. Santos, as well as twelve great-grandchildren.

The visitation will be held on Saturday, February 8th, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Hillier Funeral Home & Cremations in College Station, Texas. Services and a Celebration of Life will take place on Saturday, February 8th, 2025, from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM at Hillier Funeral Home, followed by the burial at Aggie Field of Honor & Memorial Cemetery from 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM.

Memorials can be made in Bill’s name to Honor Flight Austin, 5600 Burnet Road, Austin TX 78756 or the Texas A&M University Association of Former Students, 505 George Bush Drive, College Station, TX 77840.