John Morris Wagstaff

John Morris Wagstaff, born March 10, 1939, was a 4th generation Abilenian and rancher who loved his family, friends, bird dogs, and cows. John graduated high school from St. Stephens Episcopal School in Austin, Texas, and was an all-state halfback on their 1956 state champion team. During summers he attended Culver Military Academy. He graduated from the University of Texas where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. After graduation, he served in the U.S. Air Force, and then went to work as an IBM systems analyst, one of the early pioneers in computer programming for business applications, until he and his family returned to Abilene to ranch in 1975. John continued to ranch in Buffalo Gap and the shinnery country of Jones and Fisher Counties until his death. His grandfather was an early day Abilene settler and was President of the Buffalo Gap Presbyterian College, before opening his law practice. His grandmother came to Abilene to visit her sister Hattie Sayles and was introduced to J.M. Wagstaff. They were married for over 50 years and lived on Grape Street. His parents were Texas and R.M. (Bob) Wagstaff, who also lived in Abilene where Bob practiced law with his father and ranched. John is survived by his wife, Tiffany Austin Wagstaff, his son Robert and his wife Elizabeth, grandchildren Rachel, Caroline and John Miles, of Abilene, his youngest son James of New York City, his sister and brother-in-law Marnie Wagstaff Mueller and Dr. Robert Mueller of Hartford, Connecticut, their children Sarah Mueller Gieringer, Paul Wagstaff Mueller and Emily Mueller De Celis. He is also survived by his sister-in-law Vicki Davis and her children Gabie Noak, Austin Brooks and Jeff Davis and sister-in-law Peggy Garrett and her husband Dr. Don Garrett and their family. He is survived by cousins Nancy Wagstaff Milam, Betty Wagstaff Mansen, Fred Heldenfels, John Heldenfels, Anne Locke, and Susan and Mary Pool. Pallbearers will be Tom Perini of Buffalo Gap, Donald McDonald, John Shelton, Charles White, John Ferguson, Scott Yungblut and Tom Niblo, all of Abilene, Texas; Bill Grigsby of Calvert, Texas, Art Shepperd of Austin, Johnny Musselman of Albany, John Heldenfels of Corpus Christi, Jerry Clements, John Vogt, David Carothers and Bill Braymer all of Dallas, and George Taggart of Port Aransas, Texas. The family would like to extend heartfelt thanks to Drs. Joe Ferguson, Zane Travis, Gorman Thorp, David Blackwood, Nancy Daggubati and Preston Pate, along with the other physicians who cared for John; and the nurses and staff at Hendrick Medical Center, especially the CCU and the Hospice nurses, who are truly Angels on earth. The family would also like to thank Scott Yungblut, Tom Niblo, Casey Curnutt, Wayne Watson, Joseph Ovalle, and others, cowboys all, whose generosity with their time and expertise over the years allowed John to continue ranching to the end. Services will be Thursday at 11:00 a.m. at The Church of the Heavenly Rest, with burial to follow at the Buffalo Gap Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the West Texas Rehabilitation Center, Ben Richey Boys Ranch or Rescue the Animals.