1926
David
2011
David T. Kiester
July 25, 1926 — October 22, 2011
David Thomas Kiester died at sunset October 22, 2011 surrounded by his loving family. He was born July 25, 1925 in Mercedes,Texas to Carl F. Kiester and Bertha Boye Thomas. Until he was 16 years old he lived in La Feria at the family home at Parker Road and Kiester Lane (a street named in honor of his father, a well-known pioneer citrus horticulturist in the Valley).
David graduated in 1942 from Tivy High School in Kerrville and headed off to the University of Texas for studies in petroleum engineering. College was interrupted by World War II when he enrolled in the Navy as a pilot trainee. Two years later after the war, he chose returning to college to graduate rather than becoming a career Naval officer.
In 1948 he began a long and successful career as a petroleum engineer-Ohio Oil Company, Ambassador Oil Corporation (1951-1966) and Conoco (1966-1972). He was president of Conoco in Spain/Portugal and in Columbia. From 1973-1983, he operated his own company, Kiester International Petroleum Operations (KIPO) that served as an operations department for other companies or provided personnel. He lived all over the world-Canada, Columbia, Qatar, Turkey, Western Australia, Malta, Sicily, England, Spain, Ireland, and Puerto Rico.
In 1983 David returned to the Valley to become owner and operator of Kiester Nurseries (90 acres that produced grapefruit and oranges). In 2001 he sold most of his orchard. He retained 500 Mars orange trees to act as a buffer to his home and to enjoy the fragrance of orange blossoms in the spring and the fruit in the fall.
For nearly fifty years David shared his life and travels with Bettie Youngblood Kiester whom he married in 1953. After her death in 2002, he married Dr. Judy Wern in 2006. They lovingly shared both good and challenging times together.
David was a gentleman who emanated kindness. He had a lifelong love of nature that stemmed from childhood when he and his sister Muriel rode horses across the Valley and he swam and fished with his Uncle Bob in the resacas. He was an avid sportsman enjoying flying planes, boating, white wing hunting, fishing, playing tennis, snow and water skiing, and golfing.
David was preceded in death by his parents, sister Dorothy Jane ``Dee' Kiester and his wife Bettie. Survivors are wife Judy, son Keith and daughter-in-law Barbara Lewis Starr, grandsons Jesse and Jacob Starr, sister Muriel Martin, brothers-in-law Capt. (ret.) Jerry O'Donnell, H. L. Youngblood and Glenn Burnam, sisters-in-law Kana Burnam and Jo O'Donnell, nephew Graham Martin, nieces Bunnie Graham, Ann Jones, Ginny Martin, Becky Tuley and Vicki Horton and godsons David Swales and David Grapengeter.
David's life will be celebrated with a memorial service to be held at 11 am Thursday October 27 at St. Albans Episcopal Church, 1417 E. Austin, Harlingen, TX 78550. A reception will follow in the church hall.
A special appreciation is extended to Eva Hamlin. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Albans Episcopal Church, Loaves and Fishes, P.O. Box 248, Harlingen TX 78551 or Odyssey Hospice, 2501 Parades Line Road, Suite B9, Brownsville, TX 78520.
Funeral arrangements are under the care of Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home, 710 Ed Carey Dr., Harlingen, TX (956) 423-3636.
David graduated in 1942 from Tivy High School in Kerrville and headed off to the University of Texas for studies in petroleum engineering. College was interrupted by World War II when he enrolled in the Navy as a pilot trainee. Two years later after the war, he chose returning to college to graduate rather than becoming a career Naval officer.
In 1948 he began a long and successful career as a petroleum engineer-Ohio Oil Company, Ambassador Oil Corporation (1951-1966) and Conoco (1966-1972). He was president of Conoco in Spain/Portugal and in Columbia. From 1973-1983, he operated his own company, Kiester International Petroleum Operations (KIPO) that served as an operations department for other companies or provided personnel. He lived all over the world-Canada, Columbia, Qatar, Turkey, Western Australia, Malta, Sicily, England, Spain, Ireland, and Puerto Rico.
In 1983 David returned to the Valley to become owner and operator of Kiester Nurseries (90 acres that produced grapefruit and oranges). In 2001 he sold most of his orchard. He retained 500 Mars orange trees to act as a buffer to his home and to enjoy the fragrance of orange blossoms in the spring and the fruit in the fall.
For nearly fifty years David shared his life and travels with Bettie Youngblood Kiester whom he married in 1953. After her death in 2002, he married Dr. Judy Wern in 2006. They lovingly shared both good and challenging times together.
David was a gentleman who emanated kindness. He had a lifelong love of nature that stemmed from childhood when he and his sister Muriel rode horses across the Valley and he swam and fished with his Uncle Bob in the resacas. He was an avid sportsman enjoying flying planes, boating, white wing hunting, fishing, playing tennis, snow and water skiing, and golfing.
David was preceded in death by his parents, sister Dorothy Jane ``Dee' Kiester and his wife Bettie. Survivors are wife Judy, son Keith and daughter-in-law Barbara Lewis Starr, grandsons Jesse and Jacob Starr, sister Muriel Martin, brothers-in-law Capt. (ret.) Jerry O'Donnell, H. L. Youngblood and Glenn Burnam, sisters-in-law Kana Burnam and Jo O'Donnell, nephew Graham Martin, nieces Bunnie Graham, Ann Jones, Ginny Martin, Becky Tuley and Vicki Horton and godsons David Swales and David Grapengeter.
David's life will be celebrated with a memorial service to be held at 11 am Thursday October 27 at St. Albans Episcopal Church, 1417 E. Austin, Harlingen, TX 78550. A reception will follow in the church hall.
A special appreciation is extended to Eva Hamlin. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Albans Episcopal Church, Loaves and Fishes, P.O. Box 248, Harlingen TX 78551 or Odyssey Hospice, 2501 Parades Line Road, Suite B9, Brownsville, TX 78520.
Funeral arrangements are under the care of Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home, 710 Ed Carey Dr., Harlingen, TX (956) 423-3636.
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