John Lewis Proctor

John L. Proctor left this world on April 13th; he had a full and exceptional life. A son of San Antonio, he was born there on September 20th. Because his mother convinced the school administration that his birth certificate had the wrong year, he graduated from high school at the age of sixteen and answered the call to duty during World War II. After enlisting in the Army, he soon realized he met the qualifications to join the Army Air Corps, and served in the Pacific on the Marianas as a maintenance troop on the B-29. Upon concluding service there, he served in the Army of Occupation at Furstenfelbrueck, Germany, an air base just outside of Munich. Post-War he attended and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin majoring in Geology where he was part of Air Force ROTC. He received his commission into the Air Force in 1950 when he served in support of the Korean conflict. Flying missions in preparation for Macarthur’s push to the Yalu River, he dropped countless paratroopers stateside, and after Macarthur was fired, he trained to be a forward air controller. Luck shined on him as the cease-fire was signed as he was shipping out, and he entered the Air Force Reserve which he retired from much later as a Lieutenant Colonel. He returned to the University of Texas majoring in Petroleum Engineering, residing for a brief time in Dean Nowotny’s garage apartment, and rough-necking in the summer to pay for school. While at Texas, he met Pozelle Proctor, who was also a student, and invited her to meet him at the Jefferson Davis statue on campus to get coffee. Realizing neither of them liked coffee, they drank tea instead, and thus began their long relationship. They married upon graduation in 1955. John worked in the petrochemical industry after that for such notables at Dow Chemical in Lake Jackson before taking a position at the Internal Revenue Service as a Petroleum Engineer in Dallas in 1966 where he remained until his retirement in 1991. Upon retirement and the graduation of both of his daughters from the University of Texas, he and Pozelle moved to New Braunfels where he published three books. He took special pride in being a Texan as well as his German heritage, and ensured his daughters knew their Texas history celebrating Texas Independence Day. John is survived by his wife, Pozelle (Pozy), and their daughters, Heidi and Erika. He is pre-deceased by his mother, Leonie Nowotny Reeves, father, LeRoy Proctor, and his sister, Marie Garner.

Public Visitation will begin 5:00 PM Wednesday at Zoeller Funeral Home and will continue until 8:00 PM. Funeral Services will be held 12:30 PM Thursday, April 18, 2013 at First Protestant Church New Braunfels with Reverend Daryl Higgins officiating. Interment will follow in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery with full military honors.