Franklin Leon Hiett

Franklin Leon (Buddy) Hiett was born January 3, 1932, to parents Irene E. Kirtley and Orville L. Hiett. He had one sister, Marilyn M. Hiett Catlin. All are now deceased. As a family they all lived in Moberly, MO.

In 1946, the family moved to Houston, Texas, and Buddy attended San Jacinto High School for his remaining three years of school, graduating in the class of 1949.

He enlisted in the Army National Guard TX, 36th div. - 143rd Infantry Service Co. for a year after graduation, and when the war in Korea started, he joined the U.S. Air Force. After basic training in San Antonio, he was sent to Aero Tech School in California for Aircraft Maintenance Training. Upon graduation, he was sent to Japan/Korea to work on aircraft. After 2 years he returned to the U.S. and was stationed at Ellington AB in Houston. He then transferred to the Air Force Reserves for 4 years. He worked in a chemical plant for a year and then enrolled at the University of Houston to study Engineering. After 3 years, Buddy was hired full-time with a Pipeline Company named Tennessee Gas Transmission (Tenneco) in their Engineering Dept. in the Houston office. After working a couple of years, he married his high school sweetheart, Shirley L. (“Babe”) Holland. After a while, the company started transferring Engineers to field locations.

Buddy was transferred to the Pipeline Corrosion Control Dept. He and Babe moved to Louisiana then to Mississippi for about 6 years. During this time he worked on projects in Tennessee, Canada, and other locations - finally settling down in Corpus Christi, Texas.During this time their family was expanding. They had Jeffrey, Jennifer, and Zachary. In Corpus Christi they had twins, a boy (Roderick Scott) and a girl (Jacqueline Louise); unfortunately, they lived only one day.

After a couple of years, he was transferred to a compressor station near Houston as a Plant Engineer. They were there for five years. During this time, they had another son, Gary. Buddy was then transferred back to the Houston main office in the Safety Dept. After a couple of years he was promoted to Asst. Manager. When the Safety Manager retired, Buddy was promoted to Corporate Safety Manager. During this time he became a Certified Safety Professional and a Professional Engineer. Valero Energy Corporation of San Antonio offered Buddy the top job of Corporate Safety Director. After 24 years with Tennessee Gas, he retired and took the job with Valero Energy in San Antonio. Buddy worked 12 years for Valero, and then took retirement.

The family had a motorhome, and he, along with two of his sons, decided to drive to Alaska during the summer. While it took most of the summer, it was a trip of a lifetime.

When they returned, he had a job waiting for him. A San Antonio Company named Vaughan & Sons had hired him through a friend while he was gone. He accepted the job and was later named Vice President of Safety & Loss Control. He worked for them for 22 years before retiring for good.

Buddy was an outdoors person, taking the family camping, boating, and traveling throughout the country. Buddy was a Boy Scout leader for 43 years, a Scoutmaster over two different troops in the Houston area and Asst. Scoutmaster for 30 years in a high adventure troop in San Antonio. He was a Boy Scout in his youth reaching the rank of Eagle. He applied his Safety Profession in the Scouting program by counseling all safety related merit badges, and being Safety Chairman of the Districts. He was presented the Silver Beaver Award in 1992 and in 2013 the Troop 285 Garden of Honor Award.

Buddy is preceded in death by his beloved wife, Shirley (“Babe”) Hiett and the Hiett twins. He is survived by three sons, Jeffrey Hiett, Zachary Hiett (Selina), and Gary Hiett (Rolando); daughter, Jennifer Hiett Wolter (Calvin); one granddaughter, Krisha Hiett Hanson; three grandsons, Brandon Wheeler, Chase, and Andrew Hiett; and one great grandson, Bryce Hanson.

Buddy lived a full life and loved his family to the fullest. He will be missed by all. Flowers will be accepted, but prefer donations be made to either B.S.A. Troop 285 in San Antonio (will assist Scouts directly and help restore Camp Fawcett - one of his favorites) or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

A QR code to donate to Troop 285 may be found on the tribute wall.

The Hiett family would like to thank the staff at Juniper Village; Patti & the Gentiva Hospice Staff; and caregivers Irene, Blanca, Tre, & Judy.

VISITATIONWEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 20247:00 PM – 9:00 PMPORTER LORING NORTH

FUNERAL SERVICETHURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 20246:00 PMPORTER LORING NORTH

RECEPTIONTHURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 20247:00 PM – 9:00 PMPORTER LORING NORTH

GRAVESIDE SERVICEFRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 20242:30 PMFORT SAM HOUSTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

Please click here to view a recording of Franklin's service.