William "Bill" Hudson Burman

Bill Burman, a devoted husband, loving father, cherished grandfather, brother, uncle, mentor, and dear friend, entered eternal rest peacefully on December 18, 2025, at the age of 76, in San Antonio, Texas.

William “Bill” Hudson Burman was born in Tampa, Florida, on December 2, 1949, to his loving parents, Rosa Lee (Thompson) Washington and Willie H. Burman.

William’s namesake came from his great-grandfather, the late Reverend William “Billy” Thompson, an activist and Baptist preacher well-known throughout northern Florida.

During his early years, Bill grew up on a farm in rural Monticello, Florida, where he resided with his grandparents, the late Charlie Thompson and the late Queenie Thompson. In Monticello, he attended Elizabeth Elementary School and later Howard Academy. After the accidental death of his younger sister, Linda, Bill’s mother transitioned him to St. Petersburg, Florida, where he would continue his life alongside her and his other siblings. There, he attended Sixteenth Street Junior High School and later graduated from Gibbs Senior High School in 1967.

Bill was a proud Orange and Green Rattler who earned his Bachelor of Science degree in History and Political Science from Florida A&M University (FAMU) in Tallahassee, Florida, in 1971. It was at FAMU that he met his wife and lifelong partner, Norma J. Madison, beginning a journey that would shape the rest of their lives together.

Upon graduation, Bill returned to St. Petersburg, working as a Loan Manager for the Commercial Credit Corporation. Restless for greater challenges, he applied for graduate school in 1972 and arrived in San Antonio, Texas, where he was recruited and awarded the George W. Brackenridge Fellowship in Urban Studies at Trinity University. The program included two years of graduate studies, a master’s thesis, and a nine-month internship in a relevant agency.

Bill and Norma soon made San Antonio their home, where they put down roots, built a strong village of lifelong friends spanning more than 50 years, and created a life marked by love, determination, and a shared commitment to providing the very best for their only child, Olanikki “Nikki” Burman-Carroll.

Bill graduated from Trinity University with a Master of Arts degree in Urban Studies in May 1974. He then joined the City of San Antonio Parks Department and later the City of San Antonio Planning Department. After a distinguished 33-year career as an Urban Planner, Bill retired in 2008.

For more than a decade, Bill also taught as an Evening Division Professor at St. Philip’s College within the Alamo Community College District. He authored and developed a neighborhood planning curriculum with accompanying coursework that was adopted by the Social Sciences Department and approved by the Alamo Community College District Board of Trustees.

Bill’s passion for justice, equity, and community extended far beyond his academic pursuits and professional career. Deeply committed to advancing underserved communities, he faithfully served as Chairman of the Economic Development Committee of the San Antonio Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), earning the distinguished title of Economic Development Chairman Emeritus. A Gold Lifetime Member of the NAACP, Bill’s advocacy and love for his community were evident in every project he undertook. As Economic Development Chair, he played a pivotal role in championing the Pittman-Sullivan Walking Trail on the East Side of San Antonio, collaborating with both the Davis-Scott Family YMCA and the City of San Antonio to create a space that would benefit generations to come. His tireless commitment to serving others reflected a life devoted to uplifting his community and making a lasting impact.

Beyond his leadership in civic and advocacy spaces, Bill found great purpose in giving back through community-based organizations that invested in the next generation. Bill served on numerous boards throughout his life, including two proud terms on the Board of Directors of the San Antonio Davis-Scott Branch YMCA, an organization he cherished for its role in shaping healthy, empowered young lives.

While deeply rooted in his community, Bill’s leadership also gained national attention. He was recognized in the May 1992 edition of Black Enterprise magazine and received numerous awards, honors, and accolades throughout his life for his professional and community achievements.

He was also the author of Powder Hill Memorial Gardens Neighborhood Improvement Concept: A Public Interest Report on Eastside Cemeteries, a published work reflecting his dedication to preservation and community advocacy. A copy of his report is archived at the San Antonio Conservation Society Library.

Bill’s commitment to financial literacy, wealth management, and building lasting legacies was matched by his desire to empower others. He was a founder and President of the Spectrum VII Investment Group of San Antonio, a community-based partnership focused on stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. For more than 30 years (1993–2025), he served Spectrum VII with the belief that financial knowledge was about more than numbers; it was a tool to create stability, opportunity, and hope for generations to come. Through his work, he inspired countless people to take control of their financial futures while fostering a sense of community and shared growth.

Bill’s lifelong love for political science and the law inspired him to quietly advocate for legal equity, offering guidance and support to advance opportunities for others. Whether through his professional work, community involvement, or personal mentorship, he sought to lift those around him with humility and integrity.

Bill saw knowledge as his way out, and his way back in, returning it to his community through service and mentorship.

Bill was a member of Resurrection Baptist Church and a devoted husband, father, grandfather, mentor, and friend whose life leaves a lasting legacy of love, service, and empowerment. He cherished the lessons of faith passed down by his mother and grandmother, who taught him the Psalms, and carried those words in his heart throughout his life.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Queenie and Charlie Thompson; his mother, Rosa Lee Washington; his father, Willie H. Burman; his sisters, Linda Burman and Dr. Mae O. Clemons; his brother-in-law, Fred Hames; and his nieces, Sharon R. Hames and Michelle Y. Hames.

Bill is survived by his devoted wife of 54 years, Norma J. Burman; his caring daughter and son-in-love, Olanikki “Nikki” Burman-Carroll and Torrey E. Carroll of DeSoto, Texas; his beloved grandchildren, Zachary Hudson Jovaun Carroll and Madison Jennifer Daye Carroll of DeSoto, Texas; his sister, Carrie Hames of St. Petersburg, Florida; his brother, Jerry Burman of St. Petersburg, Florida; and a host of nieces, nephews, great- and grand-nieces, great- and grand-nephews, extended family members, mentees, and cherished friends.