William "Bill" Robert Brier was born on a Thursday, October 16, 1941 to the late Margaret "Marie" McFerren Brier. Bill was raised in the Attica, Indiana area, attending Attica schools until the untimely passing of his beloved mother in 1956. Bill reluctantly but gracefully completed his secondary education in the halls of Jefferson High School, Lafayette, Indiana, graduating in June of 1960.     Before the signature on his diploma was dry, Bill had enlisted into the esteemed United States Navy. It is during this service, from June 1960 to June 1962, when Bill fell in love with the warm sun and blue waters, and developed a sincere love for his country.
After multiple field days at sea, Bill would be honorably discharged in June 1962.
Following his naval service, Bill found his way back to the Attica area, where he utilized and shared professional and recreational skills alike. He dabbled in the carpentry landscape, and even shared his newly acquired barkeeping skills with customer and friend, at Sandy's Bar and Crane's Tavern.  These seemingly small roles would help to mold Bill into the man he would become, as well as serve as treasured memories that were told well into his golden years.
In 1969, Bill began his distinguished career with the Department of the United States Army in weapons system operation, maintenance, and testing. His proficiency in artillary repair, harmonizing with his hard-earned resourcefulness, earned Bill a multitude of accolades and promotions throughout this esteemed career. He was most proud of his work supporting battle tanks, specifically the M1 Abrams tank.
He spent much of this time at the United States Jefferson Proving Ground in Madison, Indiana. "The Proving Grounds" would become a second home to Bill through to his retirement from the Department of the Army, officially recognized on September 2, 1994. It would remain a second home to him throughout his life.
Bill was first married to Marlena L Christenberry Brier on May 16, 1968 in Covington, Indiana. She preceeded him in death in September, 2002.
Bill married Sandra Jones Sundt Brier on March 29, 2009. In true fashion, they married at the Allure Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada. A fitting conception for a marriage whose adventures had only began.
William "Bill" Brier was introduced to Sandy's family through their love story, supported by his passionate and loyal love for Sandy. It was in these later years that his newfound family discovered Bill to be a man who, admittedly once a skinny, independent, teenage scrapper forced to find his way in the world, had become a Navy man who served his country well. Through his stories, Bill afforded all the chance to come to know, love, and respect a man whose career was defined by a demonstration of proficiency and leadership. They told us of a life well-lived.
Bill also taught to us that these stories were best told in a chair, basking in the warm sun (with which he fell in love with out there on that "old tin can"), while drinking an ice cold Colorade Kool-aid.
Bill loved old Westerns, M*A*S*H, In The Heat of The Night, Walker, Texa Ranger, and music. He had a penchant for Willie Nelson and could recite "Always On My Mind" and "Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain" without deviating. Of course, his family always insisted that the latter must have been written about him. After all, Sandy swore she married him for his beautiful blue eyes.
Bill was an avid Notre Dame, Chicago Cubs, and Chicago Bears fan. He found joy in feeding the birds both he and Sandy loved to watch in the backyard, as well as tending to their rose bushes. He was a life member of the American Legion Post 210 of Danville, Illinois.
Bill was a man of many words, much pride, obligatory humility, and love. To know Bill, was to know Bill's catch phrases. They slipped off his tongue unwittingly. One of his more popular phrases was "God willing and the creek don't rise." He would use the phrase to his very last week on this physical earth.  Though this was the favorite among his stepchildren, Bill's twinkle-eyed smile, that always came with a laugh, often gave rise to the, "Now, that's a dandy."
"And that's a fact."
Bill's smile always did come with a laugh, and his laughs were so easily earned. His stepson Chuck always said that if he ever became a stand-up comedian, Bill would have front-row tickets to each show; it'd be good for business, he said. Bill always got a good laugh out of that too...
Conversing with Bill could easily start with politics, religion, or family (noone ever minded and he certainly earned his right), and his family came to appreciate his knowledge of the Old and New Testament scriptures, as well as his willingness to share them. He often recalled the Bible's shortest verse, "Jesus wept," and more than once retold his infamous midnight mission with a permanent marker to show his past an Old Testament lesson.
Bill's family was fortunate to be with him as his love story came full circle and he completed his final earthly mission on September 5, 2025 at 7:58 am at Ascension St Vincent Williamsport Hospital.  He was surrounded by ones who loved him, and ones he loved back. This is just a snippet into the life of a man who fully embraced that it "is not flesh and blood, but the heart which makes us family."
Bill is survived by his stepchildren: Chuck (Amber) Sundt- Attica IN, Mona (Dick) Waterstraat- Attica IN, Mellisa (Rusty) Drake- Williamsport IN, Russ Christenberry- Oklahoma, and Nick (Cheryl) Christenberry- Texas.
Bill is also survived by 10 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great grandchild, as well as several nieces and nephews.
He was proceeded in death by a stepson, Steve Christenberry, brothers Thomas and Donald Brier, as well as sisters Patricia Bowman and Betty Crum.

Friends may call at the Maus Funeral Home, Attica, on Sunday, September 14th, from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.  A memorial gravesite service will be held in the Riverside Cemetery, Attica, with military honors, on Monday, September 15th, at 11:00 a.m. with family members, Amber Sundt and Richard Waterstraat speaking.