Richard Dean Carlyon

Richard Dean Carlyon, age 89, passed away Saturday, October 24, 2015, in San Antonio, Texas. He was born August 19, 1926, in Denver, Colorado. When he was 10, the family moved to Dallas, where he graduated from Highland Park High School. A graduate of Southern Methodist University (SMU), he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity.

While a student at SMU, he entered the U.S. Navy V-12 Navy College Training Program and was sent to Harvard University to train as an officer in Supply Corps management. He served as the ship's Paymaster and managed all of his assigned ship's stores. He was a member the Navy's Japanese invasion fleet when Japan surrendered in 1945. Following his honorable discharge from the U.S. Navy, he joined the U.S. Navy Reserve, completing 20 years of combined service and retiring as Lt. Commander.

After his active duty military service, he returned to Dallas and worked for a real estate company and as a travel agent, scouting tour locations across South America and Europe. He also was employed by Murray Investment Company, where he learned the mortgage banking business.

On July 26, 1952, he was married to Ann Kerr Carlyon. They moved to San Antonio and lived here thereafter.

In 1963, he founded The Richard Carlyon Company, initially providing home loans to Veterans under the GI Bill. He earned his Certified Mortgage Banker designation from the Mortgage Bankers Association and served on the organization's Texas Board of Directors and various committees. He also was a member of the Board of Directors of Central Park Bank. His mortgage company later merged with Mission Savings Association, where he worked until his retirement.

With a love of Native American arts, trading and culture, he and Ann worked together in her galleries: The Tejas Gallery and later The Gallery of the Southwest. He was a lifelong Methodist and a longtime member of Coker United Methodist Church.

An avid hunter and outdoorsman, he loved spending time at the family ranch near Bandera, Texas. He also enjoyed music, sports, food, travelling to New Mexico and Arizona, and spending time with family. During retirement, he volunteered for several years at Methodist Stone Oak Hospital where he recently passed away.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Rev. Dr. James and Florence Mason Carlyon; his wife, Ann Kerr Carlyon; and sisters Marian Law and Alice Miller.

Survivors include his son, Richard Scott Carlyon and his wife Sandra of San Antonio; nieces Carol Miller of Portland, Oregon; Doris Miller and Don Fitzgibbons of Albany, Texas; and Laurie and Mark Cottle of Bellevue, Washington; nephew Doug and Marilyn Law of Scottsdale, Arizona; cousin Tom Carlyon and Glynda McClure of San Antonio; and several cousins and great nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, October 28, 2015, at Porter Loring Mortuary North.

SERVICE

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2015

1:30 P.M.

COKER UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

231 E. NORTH LOOP ROAD

A private committal will be held for family members. Memorial contributions may be sent to The American Parkinson's Disease Association, Alamo Area, 8300 Floyd Curl Dr., 8th Floor, San Antonio, TX 78229; the J. T. Carlyon Endowed Scholarship Fund, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, PO Box 750133, Dallas, TX 75275; or the charity of your choice.