John A. Emmert

John A. Emmert, Jr., 67, died Saturday, July 2, 2011 at his residence. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, on November 16, 1943, John was the son of the late Ann Katherine (Huslage) and John Adam Emmert, Sr. He graduate of Central Catholic High School in San Antonio, Texas in 1961, and in 1966 received a bachelor's degree from Texas A & I University in Kingsville (now Texas A & M). John described himself as a naturalist, who loved hunting and nature. John held managerial positions with Gensco, Inc. Pipe & Steel and Asgrow Seed Co. both in Uvalde, Texas. He served as Vice President of Operations at Nucorp Supply, Inc., an oil field supply company in Abilene, and later Nucorp Energy, Inc., in San Diego, California as a management consultant. He spent seven years with Strata Search, Inc., a major subsidiary of Berry Industries Corp. of which he was General Manager for three years before becoming President. Having been president of an oil field exploration company in Houston, Texas for four years, John was appointed Executive Vice President of Wayne Corporation. John also worked in Abilene for Elliott-Hamil Funeral Homes when owned by the Hamils. Survivors include his wife, Gloria Mason Emmert of Abilene; daughters, Lisa Kilday and husband Les of Sugar Land, Texas and Mary Bush and husband Bryan of San Antonio; sons, Errol Emmert and wife Tracey of Austin and Adam Emmert and wife Amber of Grand Prairie, Texas; and grandchildren, Paul Kilday, Mark Kilday, Leslie Kilday, Hattie Bush, Gracie Bush, Avery Emmert and Logan Emmert. John is also survived by stepchildren, Wade, John and Tiffany Driver; step granddaughter, Nova Driver; sister, Connie Warriner and husband Dick of Katy, Texas; brother, Mark Emmert and wife Pam of Austin; and Andrew Bilger, his little brother from the Big Brother, Big Sister Program. A funeral mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, July 6, at Holy Family Catholic Church with Monsignor Benedict Zeintek and David Kauffman officiating, directed by The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road in Abilene. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Tuesday from 5 to 7 p.m. with a prayer service/rosary to follow at 7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to American Cancer Society, 209 S. Danville, Bldg. B, Suite 107, Abilene, TX 79605; Hendrick Hospice Care, 1682 Hickory St., Abilene, TX 79601; or Big Brothers and Big Sisters, 720 Pine St., Abilene, TX 79601.