Randal Wayne Preston, 52 of Austin, Texas passed away Wednesday, October 24, 2012 at the Seton Medical Center in Austin, following a brief but courageous battle with a very aggressive case of lymphoma.
Randal was born April 25, 1960 in Denver, Colorado to Arnett Carl and Claudie Carpenter Preston. The family moved to Santa Fe, NM when Randal was three; then, two years later, to Abilene, TX, where Randal and his brother were reared. Randal graduated Abilene High School in 1978 and Texas Tech in 1981, with a BS in mathematics. He earned a master's degree in computer science at the University of Texas in Austin in 1981. He worked for several years in firmware development for automatic control of television broadcast scheduling. Then he worked for IBM in network software development. In recent years he has been pursuing a teaching career, with a special interest in middle school mathematics.
Randal married Saundra Gayle Denison January 21, 2006. Introduced by his wife to the craft of creating and assembling costume jewelry, he quickly acquired considerable ability. Together, they gradually transformed a hobby into a growing Internet-based business.
He placed his faith in Jesus Christ as a child and was an active, growing Christian all his life. He especially enjoyed singing in the church choir.
Randal was preceded in death by his mother Claudie Preston of Abilene, his grandparents, his brother Russell Dean Preston of Abilene, and a cousin Kris Duane Dowell. He is survived by his wife Saundra, his father Arnett Carl Preston and his stepmother Kay Preston of Abilene, and numerous relatives and friends.
Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from six o’clock until eight o’clock in the evening, on Sunday, the 28th of October 2012, at Cook-Walden Funeral Home, 6100 North Lamar Boulevard, Austin, Texas.
A Memorial Service will be conducted at two o’clock in the afternoon on Monday, the 29th of October, at Hillcrest Baptist Church, 3838 Steck Avenue, Austin, Texas, where Randal was an active member.
In lieu of flowers and other customary remembrances, memorials may be sent to the American Cancer Society, PO Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK. 73123-1718 or the The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society National Office, 1311 Mamaroneck Avenue, Suite 310, White Plains, NY 10605
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18