Billy Ray Tarvin, Jr.

Billy R. Tarvin Jr., 73, of Pipe Creek, (aka Grandpa) was called home on March 19, 2025. He was born in Sherman, Texas to Bill Sr. and Wanda Owen Tarvin on November 27,1951.

He married his high school sweetheart, Carolyn Dee Strickland, on April 5, 1968, in Wylie, Texas.

Bill attended the University of Texas-Pan American in Edinburg, Texas. Majored in Biology / Pre-med. His career took a turn in the mid-seventies to technology with Texas Instruments and grew with the Semi-conductor/computer chip industry as an engineering technician taking his family from Texas to Colorado, Arizona, and Silicon Valley in California. After chasing the all-mighty dollar with T.I., Mostek, Motorola, VLSI, and Sony, they chose to make the Texas Hill Country their home.

In the mid-eighties, while in Arizona, his son read about the National Survival Games. After their first time running around in the woods with paintball guns, in Prescott, they were hooked. They formed their first team in 1988, The Donner Party Animals, playing at Woodstalk in Northern California.

After being promoted to “Grandpa” status in 1989, he began working on his dream of opening his own paintball park. In 1991, he opened the first indoor paintball arena in San Antonio. Off 1604 and I-10, Grandpas House of Paintball was born. With a judge’s tower in the center surrounded by a maze, double hills in the back, a pyramid, and of course, he had to have the Alamo. Under the black lights with fluorescent paintballs flying, Grandpa’s dream was a success. After a few location changes, living on site, eating, and breathing running a paintball facility, he had no time to enjoy the game he loved to play and closed the doors in 1994.

After several years of tournament play, from Houston, Michigan, and Living Legends in Chicago, he found the game was becoming physically more difficult to enjoy and felt the industry was fading a bit. His renewed vision- a place to introduce / recruit new players. In 2011, just south of Boerne, next to Harley Davidson, Grandpas House was reborn. The 2 story, outdoor arena was a hit. While he held some tournaments, his main goal / mission was catering to newbies. He introduced about 20,000 new players to the wonderful world of paintball. From birthdays, graduations, and wedding parties to Tony Parkers bachelor party; he loved hearing kids say “I’m going to Grandpas House!”

In 2015, Grandpa officially retired. Other than working on Grandmas long honey do list, rest and relaxation in the country was his happy place.

Grandpa is preceded in death by his parents, Bill and Wanda Tarvin and grandparents Alma and Annie Tarvin.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Carolyn. Son Michael Tarvin and wife Kim, Daughter Cari Clay and husband Tim. Sister Linda Akin and husband Paul. Grandchildren Morgan Clay, Haley Beth Newton, Steven Lewis, and Hollie Stone. Great grandchildren Liam, Baker, Cameron, Caleb, Nolan, Wyatt, Kadin, Blaine, Brian, Shaunte, Kylie and Gavin.

The family wishes to extend their sincere thanks to Becky and Michael of River City Hospice and friends and family for their kind words, love, and comfort.

With your support, in his honor, you can help promote this fun and crazy game to continue his dream.

See link below for Grandpas Memorial Fund

https://gofund.me/12adb669

Arrangements are entrusted to Bandera Funeral Chapel.