William Gregg
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BARKLEY,
William William Gregg Barkley, 35, lost his long, hard-fought battle
with anxiety/depression on March 11th, 2021, in El Prado, New Mexico.
Known for his grit and determination, Will left a legacy of generosity
and kindness while confronting the many obstacles that life presented
him. Born March 20th, 1985, in Dallas, TX, Will arrived nine weeks ahead
of schedule weighing only 2 pounds 13 ounces. His heart and strength,
which helped him survive those first six weeks in the NICU, would bely
his small physical stature throughout his life. His curiosity and daring
also served as seminal character traits, as was demonstrated when his
family discovered him at age two atop the roof of his house via an
unattended ladder; an early precursor as to how he would lead his life.
Like many kids raised in Carrollton, Texas during the late 80s and early
90s, Will grew up on a steady dose of Star Wars and X-Men, which shaped
a voracious future appetite for sci-fi books. Trampolined-evenings in
the backyard with his dog, Shiloh, and a montage of Boy Scout High
Adventure trips, basketball, baseball, and soccer leagues, and family
vacations peppered his younger years. His high school years centered
around attaining his Eagle Scout Award and a variety of mission trips
and ski trips with his church youth group. But it was high school
wrestling where Will found a discipline that paralleled his mental and
physical gifts. His four-years lettering in wrestling inspired his
life-long passion for jiu jitsu and MMA, as well as his avidly following
the UFC. As with most of us, Will's 20s were a search for self and soul.
You could have found him living at 10,000 feet in an A-frame cabin
outside Taos, New Mexico, with his cat, Bailey, enduring foot after foot
of winter snow. Later he earned his Bachelor's Degree in Psychology at
Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. He would ultimately
close out that decade of his life in Portland, Oregon, appreciating his
employment and enjoying relationships with his work fam. His off-time
was spent exploring the Pacific Northwest's mountainous streams and
waterways with his Tenkara rod or his hiking boots, or meeting his
brother at Anna Bannana's for misty talks about life over Italian-style
macchiatos. Riding in his trusty Jeep Liberty during these years, he
treated himself to his musical faves such as Explosions in the Sky,
Moby, 311, Tool, Interpol, Radiohead, etc.-all but one of which he saw
live in concert at venues like Red Rocks in Denver or the Crystal
Ballroom in PDX. His favorite show of all time was The Appleseed Cast's
Low Level Owl 10th Anniversary Tour. Spending his final years back in
Taos, Will completed his hours to become well-versed in low voltage
electrical installations and applications. In his spare time, he often
counseled his friends during their life challenges, earning a reputation
for a wry sense of humor, for being warm (but frank), and ultimately
preaching a reality-based positivity above all. His search for peace
evolved as he learned to draw zentangles, listened to late-night
psychology podcasts, or to any scientist on the "Joe Rogan Experience."
He believed strongly in science and research, reading about clinical
psychology, neuroscience, and mental health, while balancing the
cerebral with physical fitness and new weight training programs. That
isn't to say, though, he wasn't above eating gummy bears, a Snickers,
and pounding a Red Bull for lunch! Will's continued quest to find
serenity in his life revealed itself, at its apex, in his love of fly
fishing. To Will, it didn't matter if he caught a fish, though he
enjoyed it when he did --- but then he would always release it back into
the stream. And though his friends were especially important to him, he
spent most of his time fishing by himself, alone with his thoughts and
moods, his musings and considerations, his ponderings about the universe
and existence. Will is survived by and forever missed by his parents,
Hal & Vicki Barkley, his brother and sister-in-law, Brent & Jamie
Barkley, by his grandfather, Bill H. Barkley Sr., as well as dozens of
aunts, uncles, cousins, and their families. See Facebook memorial page
for more details. A memorial service will be held in Carrollton, TX,
Saturday, June 19th, 2021, at 2:00 p.m CST at Holy Covenant United
Methodist Church at 1901 Peters Colony Road. This service will also be
live-streamed at /https://www.hcumc.org/ In lieu of flowers, the family
suggests memorial donations to: Hope for Depression https://www.hopefordepression.org/
or Stray Hearts Taos Animal Shelter https://www.strayhearts.org/
Carrollton-Farmers
Branch TXGenWeb
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Edward Lynn Williams
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May, 2014