David John Geryak

David John Geryak was born July 5, 1944 in Buffalo, New York, to Mary Louise and John Joseph Geryak. He graduated from Kenmore East High School in 1962, where he played football. He went on to attend Erie County Community College for a year before joining the Air Force.

David was a New Yorker by birth and a Texan by choice, falling in love with the state after he arrived in San Antonio with the Air Force in 1963. More importantly, when he was transferred to Carswell Air Force Base Fort Worth, he met Janie Wiley. They fell in love and married. They were married for 48 years until she passed away.

During the Vietnam War he enlisted in the Air Force and persuaded his superiors to deploy him overseas. He spent much of his decorated military career in southeast Asia, receiving, among other medals, the Presidential Unit Citation, awarded for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy.

Following his honorable discharge from the Air Force, David embarked on a successful career as a civil engineer and construction manager, working on major projects across the country. His work can be seen in places as varied as the Dallas Arts District, the Glen Rose Nuclear Power Plant, and DFW International Airport.

In his retirement, David traveled widely throughout the U.S. with his wife, Carol, who he married in 2014. They shared a love of family and travel, and they traveled together around the world. He was particularly fond of the land of enchantment, New Mexico.

David also spent much of his time working with and advocating for his fellow veterans. He was a board member of the Thailand, Laos, Cambodia Brotherhood and worked to help others who had been exposed to dangerous chemicals get the health benefits they needed.

David passed away December 23, 2024 in Fort Worth, Texas. He was predeceased by his parents as well as his first wife Janie.

He is survived by his wife, Carol Elliott; his daughter, Nicolle Little; his sisters, Deborah Snook (Gordon) and Joanne Shields (Timothy); his nephew, Jason Krasny; his niece, Barbara Corbetta; his grandchildren, Ryan, Logan, Kelsie, and Alexis; his step-children Martha, Marie, and Cecily; and his step-grandchildren, Michael, Daniel, Maryanne, Sophie, James, Margaret, Gregory, and Edith.

David was a kind, calm, and steady presence in the lives of everyone who knew him. He will be dearly missed. A funeral will be held January 20, 2025 at 10:15 a.m. at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Keller. He will be buried at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio on a date yet to be determined. Memorial donations in David’s name can be made to the TLC (Thailand, Laos, Cambodia) Brotherhood, which does charitable work in Southeast Asia, or to the veterans’ organization of your choice.