Willem Gerhardus van Enter Schuurman known as Bill passed away on Friday October 11, 2024 at home in New Braunfels, Texas
Bill was born on June 21, 1940 in the small town of Wakkerstroom in a picturesque corner of rural South Africa.
He graduated from Pretoria Boys High in 1957. He then pursued a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering at the University of Cape Town, living in College House the oldest university residence in Africa. He completed his degree in 1962, after which he stayed on to complete a law degree with a focus on patent law in 1964. Immediately thereafter, he joined South Africa’s leading intellectual property law firm, Adams and Adams, where he soon became a partner.
In 1979, Bill, his wife Fiona (née Barnetson) whom he had married in 1969, and his four young sons emigrated to Houston, Texas. He worked for the intellectual property law firm Arnold, White, and Durkee, moving to the firm’s Austin office in 1983. Bill developed a remarkable record of success in handling patent and trade secret litigations for plaintiffs and defendants and in appeals of patent cases to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He retired in 2015, completing a 50-year career.
In the late 90s, Bill and Fiona parted ways, and Bill married Karla (née Arnold), with whom he has been happily married ever since. Bill was always extremely dedicated and driven, practical, and unsentimental traits that served him well as a successful immigrant and attorney. He welcomed and adapted to big changes in his life, didn’t expect comfort, and never complained. He was kind and generous, held few grudges and focused on peace and harmony in his life, and had a big smile. He made work life fun with running jokes and pranks, and deeply enjoyed mentoring younger colleagues. Bill was a special person who will be dearly missed.
Bill is survived by his wife Karla, sons Gregor, Bruce, Angus, and Geordie, grandchildren Ike and Twyla, stepchildren Lee and Emily, ex-wife Fiona, brothers-in-law Cedric and Peet, nephews Michael, David, Andrew, Stephen, Anton, and Martin, beloved caretaker Lisa, and a large circle of other family and friends.
Obituary sourced from the Schuurman family in the USA. Thanks to Charles Stewart, Class of 1959, for advising of his passing.
