I was born on September 28, 1930, in the same room and the same bed as my Dad on a little farm near Haskell, Texas, but grew up in the Great American Desert in the oil community of Monahans. In case you can't place it, Monahans lies between Penwell on the east and Pyote on the west, Grandfalls on the south and Wink on the north, in west Texas.
Being less than willing to put in actual studying, I went rapidly through North Texas Agricultural College (now UT, Arlington) and Texas College Of Mines (now UT, El Paso) like a dose of salts through a widow woman (the football Coach at Monahans used to say that a lot, but we never found out why).
Dad told me to forget about him financing my higher education, but that he would get me a job with Skelly Oil, which he did. I worked on a rod and tubing fishing rig for a year and a summer. That will motivate one to get back into college quicker than anything else I can think of.
I went to Odessa Junior College (now just Odessa College) and the Korean Police Action started about that time. The college announced that everyone who joined the service at Christmas vacation could have everything they were passing. I had never been passing 18 hours before, so I jumped at the chance, which resulted in four years in the USAF, three of which were spent in bombed out Germany.
Out of the Air Force in 1954, I signed up at North Texas State College (now University of North Texas, Denton). It appears that nearly every college I attended has changed its name, even Texas Tech College (now University). Wonder what University of Houston, Victoria, will become?
I've had many occupations, none of which payed much more than living wage. But they were all interesting and some were actually fun. I came to Victoria as the Chamber of Commerce Manager in 1972. I also managed Chambers in Big Spring and Garland. I started my newspaper career writing sports at the Odessa American and wrote news at the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, got into Public Relations at the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce and followed that up with a PR job with the Pittsburgh Chemical Plant in Corpus Christi. I was news director at KXIX-TV and did a call-in live show weekdays called Crosstalk, some of which was really cross and no holds barred.
I became a middle aged cop with the Victoria Police Department and actually graduated from the Police Academy at Victoria College and passed the state test for a law enforcement license. I finished off my career with two terms as Justice of the Peace for Precinct 4 in Victoria County.
I refereed football for 26 years, basketball for 16 and baseball for 13, but played golf most of my life, much to the delight of Dermatologists, some of whom can afford to drive Rolls, particularly the ones at MD Anderson.
I leave behind my loving wife of 40 years, Lucy Wagner Eastland; daughters, Tomie Sue Saldana (Edward), Carol Huth Dean (Don); sons, Steve Eastland, Mark Eastland (Alexia) 16 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-granddaughter.
I was preceded in death by my parents, Holt and Effie Eastland; brother, Barry and step-daughter, Lisa Nixon Hall.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, January 20, 2021 from 9-10:30 a.m. at Rosewood Funeral Chapels in Victoria, followed by funeral services at 10:30 a.m. in the funeral home chapel. Burial with military honors will follow at Resurrection Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Don Pennington, Scott Yackel, Edward Saldana, Colin Burgos, Mark Eastland, and Steve Eastland.
Special thanks to Hospice of South Texas nurses and aides for their superior attention and loving care.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hospice of South Texas, 605 E. Locust, Victoria, Texas.
Words of comfort may be shared with the family at www.rosewoodfuneralchapel.com.
