First Sergeant, David Waits, United States Army, Retired, passed away on January 3, 2019 at the age of 75 of inoperable Liver Cancer. He was born on April 5, 1943 in Houston, Texas. First Sergeant Waits is survived by his precious wife Kathleen (wifey as he called her) (Kathleen was born and raised in Manitowoc, Wisconsin). She was the love of his life and his partner. First Sergeant Retired Waits and Kathleen Conway were married in Springfield, Virginia March 17, 2000.
He is preceded in death by his parents Edward and Ada Hamil Waits of Odessa, Texas and his grandnephew Mathew Joeris of Mexia, Texas. From a previous marriage he is survived by his daughter Melissa Jordan; his grandchildren, Linda, Francesca and Rudy Jr. Pena and his son Michael Waits (no children) all reside in Virginia; He is also survived by his sister, Bobbye Waits Jackson of Mart, Texas; his niece, Kimberly Parker of Mexia, Texas; and his grandnephews, Chris and Kevin Joeris. Kevin’s wife Patty and son Stone Matthew Joeris
First Sergeant Waits served in the US Army from 1965 to 1985. He served at Fort Polk, Louisiana; Fort Lewis, Washington; Pleaku, South Vietnam, in the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry, 4th Infantry Division from 1966 to 1967. He served at Fort Bliss, Texas and served two tours in West Germany and two tours at Aberdeen Proving Ground Maryland. On his first tour he served at Geibelstadt (Near Wiirzburg), West Germany; Then his first tour at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland (While there he served in Temporary Duty in Columbia & Peru, South America; Then back to West Germany where he served at Vilseck (Near the Czech Republic Border), West Germany; Then back to Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland (Served as First Sergeant) and on his last assignment he was selected by Major General (Two Star) Commander of the Ordnance Center and School at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland to be his liaison and to represent the Ordnance Corp. at the National Capital Region, Special Proponent Coordination Office in Washington D.C. He retired from the US Army at his highest rank held which was First Sergeant. After retirement he started a second career with Logistics Management Engineering as a Senior Logistics Engineer performing logistics support for the US Navy. He served there for eight and a half years and then he was offered a position with the Federal Aviation Administration Headquarters in Washington, D.C. At the Federal Aviation Administration, Headquarters in Washington D.C. he was an Associate Program Manager for Logistics and later he formed a new office and served as the Manager, in Logistics Funding, ATO-Finance, Capital Expenditures, Franchise Fund Coordination Center.
After 42 years of professional service, he retired in May 2007 and he and Kathleen relocated to the beautiful Texas Hill Country in New Braunfels. He and Kathleen built a home and they enjoyed their new home very much. In 2010 they traded in a Harley Davidson Motorcycle for an RV. In 2012 we purchased our last RV, a new 43-foot Tiffin Allegro Bus. It was an extremely nice bus with all the amenities. Over the years they met many new friends while RVing. They traveled in all the lower 48 states and most of them over again. They especially loved the north western part of the US. Plus, they were members of the Texas Bluebonnets Allegro Club and attended rallies all over Texas. In August 2018 due to health reasons they sold the RV.
Services will be held at Zoeller Funeral home on Friday, January 18, 2019 beginning with the Rosary at 11:00 am followed by the Memorial Service and reception. In lieu of flowers, donations can be in his honor to Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Cancer Research, The American Cancer Society, Hope Hospice of New Braunfels, or St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
