William Clyde Elder Obituary

William Clyde Elder, 74, of Brushy Creek, Texas, died in the early morning hours on Monday, January 10, 2022, with his husband John at his side. Bill struggled with an atypical form of muscular dystrophy for many years, until his death.
Bill was predeceased by his parents, William and Frankee Elder. He is survived by husband Johnny Allan Robinson.
Bill was born in Bremerhaven, Germany in 1947. Bill’s dad joined the US Army during WWII and was stationed in northern Germany. At some point during his dad’s tour of duty, mom Frankee sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to be with her husband. She stayed awhile and thus began the story of Bill’s life.
Bill spent his youth living in Wichita Falls, Texas. He was fond of his cowboy hats and pony, and especially a pair of turquoise cowboy boots. Bill was surrounded by an extended family of grandparents, cousins, & good friends. He graduated from Midwestern University in Wichita Falls with a Master of Fine Arts in Political Science in 1970 and was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity.
Bill started work at Wichita Falls State Hospital & would make his way to Austin, Texas in July 1971, where he continued at the Austin State Hospital. In 1972, Bill moved to Dallas & worked as a stockbroker trainee with Merrill Lynch. Bill returned to Wichita Falls around 1973, but Austin kept calling him to return. He decided to move back to Austin in 1977. Bill worked almost 25 years with The State of Texas Land Office, Governor's Office, and Attorney General’s Office; in the Internal Audit Division. Bill also worked for the Travis County Democratic Party, and as Chief Deputy for the Honorable Cecelia Burke at the Travis County Tax Office. He retired with disability in 2004 from the Attorney General's Office.
Bill met his soulmate of 36 years, Johnny Allan Robinson in 1978 while living in Austin. They became good friends and enjoyed frequent jogs on Town Lake with his Doberman Pinschers. After an eight-year friendship, John moved in with Bill in 1986. With a love for dogs, art, politics, fitness, and travel; they raised numerous dogs & cats over the years, with a fondness for stray and rescue animals. Bill was proud of his Doberman Pinschers, and his beautiful dog Mac (Wynterwynd’s Magi Moonrise) finished as a Champion AKC top 100 in 1985. Before moving to Brushy Creek, Bill and John lived several years on a beautiful hilltop overlooking Lake Travis, where they enjoyed the views, hiking along the lake, and hosting friends for dinners and parties. Bill and John tied the knot in Stowe, Vermont with a Civil Union in 2006. They flew to NYC in 2015 to officially marry, having no idea that 2015 would be special for so many couples. They knew time was not on their side, and started traveling in 1995, visiting eight countries, all the while enjoying art exhibitions & museums across the U.S. and Europe. Paris and NYC were their favorite destinations, and they would return often. Bill was an avid photographer, so John ensured his camera and tripod went along on each trip. He also enjoyed using his darkroom at home making black & white prints of nature and their travels.
As muscular dystrophy continued to take its hold on Bill, he and John took one last trip to Paris in 2010, enjoying the company of friends they had met in France.
For the last 7 years of Bill’s life, John was able to stay home and care for his soulmate. Special thanks for the care provided by their Doctor, Hospice Austin, and the Sam Bass Fire Dept.
The family asks for any donations in his name go to Caritas Austin or your local animal shelter. Celebration of Life to be announced later.

"In the end, only three things matter: how much you loved, how gently you loved, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you." - Gautama Buddha