Jon Appling, 84, of Kerrville died Tuesday, July 2, 2013, in Kerrville. Memorial service will be held at the First Presbyterian Church, Kerrville, on Saturday, July 6, at 2 p.m. Graveside service and burial will be in Resthaven Memorial Park in Lubbock, Texas, on Monday, July 8, 2013, at 11 a.m. He was born June 13, 1929, to Palmer H. and Carrie Hinds Appling in Childress, Texas. He graduated from Slaton High School in 1946 and attended McMurry College and Texas Tech. He worked for West Texas Gas Co. until he started farming in the Levelland area from 1950 to 1966. In January of 1953 he rode in President Dwight D. Eisenhower's inaugural parade with the Hockley County Mounted Sheriff's Posse, proudly bearing the Texas Flag. In 1966, he moved with his family to Ulysses, Kan. and worked at Ulysses Irrigation Pipe Co. with his brothers Pat and Don for fourteen years in sales and then as vice president. After sale of Ulysses Irrigation, he moved to Canton, Texas, where he and Don operated a farm and ranch store. After selling the store, he moved back to Lubbock, again working with Ulysses Irrigation. In 1983, he moved to Kerrville, Texas, which was a long-term dream. He continued to work in the irrigation industry for 39 years as Southwest Marketing Manager for Kroy Industries, Inc. His territory included Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Mexico. His friends and acquaintances in the industry extended far beyond. He retired in January of 2012 at the age of 82. His knowledge of irrigation systems was second to none. He was loved and will be missed by many of his former co-workers and customers, who were his second family. He was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church in Kerrville. He was kind, loving and devoted as a father, grandfather, brother, and uncle. His kind and loving spirit and devotion to his family were his trademarks. He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, and three sisters: W.A Appling of Amarillo; twin brother, Phil Don Appling, of Lubbock; Pat Appling of Ulysses, Kan., and Lubbock; Melba Harris and her husband Ed of Tulia; Mary Davis and her husband Jeff of Plainview; Elouise Jones of Lubbock; and one nephew, Gary Pat Appling of Lubbock. He is survived by his daughter, Libby, and her husband, Gregg Bliss; son, Scott; granddaughter, Claire; and grandson, Ian. He is also survived by his brother-in-law, W.L. Jones of Houston; and by twelve nephews and nieces whom he loved: Lin Jones, Stan Jones, and Kent Jones, of Houston; Douglas Appling and Karen Appling White, both of Houston; David Harris of Midland; and Jan Harris Wilson of Houston; Brian Davis of New Bedford, Mass.; Cindy Davis Graham of Spring Branch; Susan Davis Macrum of Horseshoe Bay; Nancy Appling of Carlsbad, N.M.; and Don Paul Appling of Lubbock. He is also survived by his longtime friend, Nita Leissner; and recent caregiver, Janie Lopez. Memorial remembrances may be made to First Presbyterian Church in Kerrville or High Plains Children's Home in Amarillo, Texas. The family invites you to send condolences to www.grimesfuneralchapels.com by selecting the Send Condolences link. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Grimes Funeral Chapel of Kerrville.


Published in The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal on July 5, 2013