Daniel "Dan" Norbert Kubala

Dan was born May 31, 1937, in Seymour, TX, to Ben and Martha Kubala. He grew up in the Pleasant Grove area of Dallas, TX, and attended North Texas State College, where he acquired a B.A. in Math. At North Texas, he met Martha Davis, married, and moved to Huntsville, Alabama, where he worked as a computer programmer in the fledgling space industry for G. E. He spent most of his working life in St. Louis, MO, working in the IT field for Monsanto before retiring to Lakeway in 1999.

Deeply influenced by his Czech heritage, he had a strong work ethic, love of family, Catholic faith, and appreciation of the arts. Growing up, he was surrounded by hordes of loving grandparents, parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Family gatherings always included eating klobasa and kolaches, listening to music, dancing the polka and waltz, with everyone from toddlers to grands--always accompanied by copious amounts of beer. The sense of community he found in his family gatherings influenced his later life in the close-knit and creative communities of River Bend in St. Louis and in Lakeway. Finding that sense of community in religious services, he was a faithful member of Emmaus Catholic Church, serving as an usher for many years, and also regularly attending the 5:00 Saturday Mass with his Emmaus friends. Family and friends enjoyed the fruits of his culinary skills: steak or salmon cooked on his beloved PK.

Dan played 3 instruments, beginning with the accordion as a youngster. He played the tuba in marching and jazz bands in Pleasant Grove H.S. and NTSC, and later in River Bend’s annual variety shows and the Half-fast Marching Band in 4th of July parades. In Lakeway, he accompanied the Sing Along singers on the all 3 instruments in their biannual shows. He learned the Czech dances early, courted Martha by taking her to Czech Club dances in Dallas, and could be seen at parties in Lakeway, whirling around the dance floor in a lively polka. In River Bend, he and Martha supported community theater. Twice they were the producers of the annual River Bend Repertory Company Variety Show. In their local Playreaders group, Dan even won a “hammy” for his depiction of the dying man in 12 Angry Men. In Lakeway, he served as Treasurer of the Arts Committee; helped to found the Lakeway Players and played a lawyer in their first production, The Best Little Courthouse in Texas; and supported TexArts as they got started, playing a bit part in their production of Big River at the Paramount Theater.

Dan’s family never lived in Texas, but they traveled there frequently for family Christmas or summer gatherings in Dallas or East Texas with his parents, in-laws, siblings, nieces and nephews. Later, Dan enjoyed traveling to Atlanta to see Julie’s family and Janesville, WI, to see Dan’s family. His grandson, Tayo, was the light of his life. As a special treat, Dan & Martha, Ernie & James took his 85-year-old mother to the Czech Republic; it was the trip of a lifetime for Granny, who got to fulfill a lifelong dream of meeting her Czech relatives.

Dan is survived by his beloved wife, Martha; his children—Julie (Louisa) and Dan (Cindy, deceased); grandchildren Tayo, Fateem, Charee, Lainee (Marc), Kyle (Jen); great granddaughter Veronica; and his siblings—Fred (Peg), Jeannie (Joe, deceased), and Ernie (James), and many wonderful cousins, nieces, and nephews.

A Mass of Resurrection will be held Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at 11:00 am at Emmaus Catholic Church, Lakeway, Texas.

Dan’s family would like to thank the staff at Baylor Scott & White in Lakeway for their competent and compassionate care, especially Dr. Lee, the Palliative Care Doctor, along with the wonderful, caring staff of Christopher House.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice Austin’s Christopher House online, by telephone, or by mail.