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| Dave was a man’s man with gentleness and with a heart as big as Texas. He was a very proud man, but was very humble too. He always said no one was any better than anyone else and he treated Presidents and street people with the same dignity. He was born into a lowly family who had come to Texas in 1832. They were honest, hard working ranchers & farmers. They succeeded with what little they had. And Dave followed in their footsteps. He left school and served in the Navy. Then he worked in the glass business for 30 years and had 2 fine children. He started hunting at an early age and always bragged that he shot his first deer with a rolling block rife. He joined the American Mountain Man Association to learn how to survive in the wilderness. He always told me that he had been born in the wrong era. His heart was in the 1800’s. He was a member of the 1896 Cowboy Club. He rendezvoused and hunted and killed animals, skinned them, tanned their hides and made his own buckskins. He lived that life on the weekend and came back to his responsibilities as husband and father during the week. Later, he was invited to Italy to help design firearms. Because they would not build the rolling block rifle as they had originally been designed he decided to come home and start Lone Star Rifle and build the finest, most accurate Rolling Block rifles in the world. It was at that time that Dave & I re-met. You see, we had gone to school together all our lives. It was love at first sight. But He always said, “When I found out she had a riding mower, that’s when I asked her to marry me.” But he also said that we were one soul cut in half. We truly were soul mates. For 17 years, he gave his life to the Lord and served Him as best he could. He said Lone Star Rifle belonged to the Lord & He tried to tell each customer about Jesus. He respected everyone as they were and never tried to change them. But he would tell them Jesus is the only way to Heaven and a better life here on earth. He said it is the most important decision a man will ever make. As my husband, he was the dearest, sweetest, most caring, honest man I have ever known. He loved me with all his heart. He always took me on his hunting trips and business trips and shooting matches. He would hand load ammo for both of us and taught me how to shoot accurately. We both won many of the contests because we were shooting Lone Star Rolling Blocks. He had developed arthritis to the point that it hurt him too bad to compete. But he said when one of his rolling blocks won a match, he won too. He always wanted me by his side. He said I was his secretary. He took care of me in life and after he went home to be with the Lord. He made me promise that if anything ever happened to him that I would carry on his legacy and tell folks about Jesus. So, if you haven’t given your heart, mind and soul to Jesus to be your Lord and Master, there would be no better time than today. Dave would be so proud of you and it would give him more crowns to lay at Jesus’ feet. We love you all, and Dave would be so proud that you came to honor him as your friend. I must add a post script. After services in Conroe, Texas we followed Dave’s wish to be buried in Gladstone, New Mexico. If you knew Dave you knew he was a great story teller. He always said, “Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.” But I never found any variance from the truth in his stories. He lived such an adventurous life that he didn’t have to stretch the truth. When we made the 740 mile trip to Gladstone we had no idea that Dave was arranging one last story for us… When we arrived in Gladstone it was after dark. In 2 hours it had gone from rain, to a light snow, and then the wind began to blow and the snow was blowing sideways. It blew all night. In the morning there were drifts six feet tall, and the blizzard was creating white out conditions. We had a simple service in the house then drove in two vehicles to where a large snow plow was waiting to escort us to the cemetery. It took us about 30 minute to go 2 miles. The men of Gladstone and Dave’s friends went above and beyond the call of duty to lower the casket into the grave, and shovel the snow laden dirt over the casket. We then started back the way we came. The snow plow got stuck and the men had to dig it out. We finally managed to get back to the house where it was warm and dry. So, even in death, Dave left us with one more of his wonderful stories that he would tell over and over again. My Love will be sorely missed. Phone: 936-228-2448 E-mail: dave@lonestarrifle.com |
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