Willis Ponder

Willis (Will) Miles Ponder III, age 80, of La Grange, Texas died on September 19, 2022. He was born September 28, 1941 in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Will is survived by his wife Rebecca Ponder, son Willis (Miles) Miles Ponder IV; daughters Susan (Ponder) Harris, Kris Ponder and Regan Ponder; and grandchildren, Willis (Will) Miles Ponder V (Hallie), Andrew and Anna Harris, Lauren Ponder; great grand-children McKenzie Ponder and Willis (Miles) Miles Ponder VI; and his mother Catherine Ponder and brothers David Ponder (Helen) and Sam Ponder and sister Paula Bishop (Hugh). He was preceded in death by his father Willis Miles (Miles) Ponder Jr. and brother Mack Ponder.

Will served in the U.S. Navy from 1959 to 1962 in San Diego, California.

He then moved to Little Rock, Arkansas where he worked for Arkansas Electric Coop. While working there he attended the University of Arkansas from 1968-1972 and received his degree in Electrical Engineering. His focus was on energy conservation for a sustainable future.

In 1981, Will founded ACR Engineering in Austin, Texas and led the company until 2014.

In 1996, he married Rebecca Albritton of Austin, Texas. Will and Rebecca moved to Ruidoso, New Mexico where they purchased two businesses; Sacred Ground Coffee & Tea House and Circle J BBQ, and also founded Glencoe Distillery. Will was an adventurer, a life long learner, a thinker, a dreamer and an entrepreneur throughout his life. He loved the opera, the arts and live music.

While in Ruidoso both Will and Rebecca took over the Mountain Entertainment Group for the Arts.

He will be sorely missed by his family and countless numbers of friends.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Mountain Entertainment Group for the Arts.

The family will host a series of memorial services in Texas, Arkansas and New Mexico to celebrate his life.

Celebration of Life in Austin, Texas will be held Wednesday, September 28th from 6-9pm at Camp Congress, 907 South Congress, Austin, Texas.

Celebration of Life in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas will be held on Sunday, October 2nd from 2-4pm at Old Walnut Ridge First Baptist Church in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas.

Celebration of Life in Ruidoso, New Mexico will be held on Saturday, October 8th from 6-9pm at Sacred Grounds Coffee & Tea House, 2704 Sudderth Drive, Ruidoso, New Mexico.