William "Bill" Marvin Ainsworth

William Marvin "Bill" Ainsworth passed away on Thursday, May 20th following a lengthy illness. He was 73. A native Houstonian, Bill was born October 3rd, 1947, to the late Edgar Merrill Ainsworth and Helen Ainsworth Walker. He was raised in Houston, where he attended Mark Twain Elementary and The Kinkaid School, prior to his enrollment in Sewanee Military Academy. He voluntarily enlisted in the Navy in 1965. While stationed on the USS Kittyhawk, he served three tours of combat in the Vietnam War as a Military Intelligence Officer and Combat Photographer and was honorably discharged in 1968 after 3 years, 7 months and 13 days of service ("But who's counting," he used to say). Bill attended Texas State University in San Marcos, where he graduated in 1972 with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. From 1980-1985, he served as a First Lieutenant with the Texas State Guard 8th Regiment, Military Police and was awarded the Texas Medal of Merit for his successful recruiting efforts. Bill had an accomplished and lengthy career in radio, television, newspapers, advertising/marketing and corporate communications, working for The Austin Citizen, Baker Hughes, Southwestern Bell, Ketchum McCloud & Grove, the City of Houston Airport System, Houston Lighting and Power, Mitchell Energy, Cooper Industries, ConocoPhillips, SABIC, Reliant Energy, and the Houston Police Department, to name a few. One of his most enjoyable experiences following his retirement was providing companionship care. Bill was a faithful and devoted husband to Susan Rabinowitz, his wife of 44 years. He was a loving and extremely proud father to children John David, William James, Lauren Rachel, and Christopher Jacob. He is survived by them and grandchildren Amanda, Garrett, Jake, Travis, and Grant. Bill was a lover of animals his entire life. Over the years had several pet dogs, ducks, birds, rabbits, and a cat. He was known for his great sense of humor and storytelling, famously writing jokes for Bob Hope during the Writer's Guild of America strike of 1988. He lived his dream of owning and riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle for many years. Although he suffered from poor health in the final years of his life, Bill continued to work to support his family and enjoy life. He especially enjoyed (and was incredibly skilled at) grilling, cooking, and eating. A private burial will take place at the Houston National Cemetery. A memorial service will also be held at Temple Beth Israel. Bill hoped to see you there, as he would often quote the great Yogi Berra: "Always go to other people's funerals, otherwise they won't come to yours." The Ainsworth family would like to extend their gratitude and love to Dr. Andrew Civitello, Dr. Jose Perez and the countless nurses and staff who expertly cared for Bill at Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Bill's honor to Poodle Rescue of Houston, Houston Pets Alive, K9 Angels, or your charity of choice.

William "Bill" Marvin Ainsworth

October 3, 1947 - May 20, 2021