Services for David Lang, 82, of Bradford, will be held on Sunday, June 12, 2022, at the First United Methodist Church of Athens at 3:00 p.m., with a gathering an hour prior to services. Interment will follow at Poynor Cemetery in Poynor, Texas, under the direction of Hannigan Smith Funeral Home.
Mr. Lang passed away on June 7, 2022, at the age of 82, at his farm in Bradford, Texas, surrounded by his family. He had battled cancer (five separate times) and Leukemia. Through it all, he continued working hard and doing business until the very end.
Dave was born September 1, 1939, the son of Turner and Olga (Coats) Lang, at their home in Poynor, Texas. Dave and Ruth were married in Trinidad, Texas, on November 19, 1960. To this union were born two sons, Michael David in 1962 and Brian Douglas in 1966.
David led a very interesting and diverse career. He graduated from LaPoynor High School in 1957, from HCJC (TVCC) in 1959, and from Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1969. David joined the U.S. Air Force and served from 1960 to 1964 as an Aircraft Electrician. David worked for Bell Helicopter as an aircraft electrician when he left the service. After receiving his degree, he worked for LTV (Ling Tempco Vought) in Grand Prairie and at Cantex Industries in Mineral Wells as an industrial engineer. His last "regular" job was as Plant Manager for Weatherford Oil Tool in Weatherford, Texas.
Dave always had an entrepreneurial bent and, along with his wife Ruth, owned and operated numerous companies along the way, including: The Leaky Pipe Company in Southlake (manufactured agriculture irrigation pipe), Flo-Drill in Mineral Wells (manufactured and sold oil field products throughout the world including the North Sea, Middle East, and Africa), Dralco in Weatherford (a precision manufacturing company that sold laser cut metal products to numerous industries), and founded and operated Aqua-Drill in Weatherford (an international company that drilled and completed water wells operating in Angola (1988-2005), Somalia (1992-1997), and Rwanda Africa, drilling water wells for the U.S. Army and large oil companies).
Dave and Ruth retired to their slice of heaven in East Texas in 2001, where Dave harvested timber and operated a sawmill until his death and had also owned a café and two self-storage locations. David was a member of First United Methodist in Athens, Texas, and the Apostles Class. He volunteered to drive a van transporting Veteran's for medical care to the VA hospital in Temple and Waco. Along the way, Dave and Ruth traveled the world, visiting far-flung locations like Japan, China, Singapore, Spain, France, Italy, and Great Britain, and always happy to return back to East Texas.
Awards included the Small Business Association's 'Small Businessman of the Year' in 1997 for the State of Texas and Outstanding Ex-Student of TVCC in 1987. He served on many Boards of Directors, including: Parker County Crime Commission, Weatherford Economic Development Corporation, Happy Hills Children's Farm in Glen Rose, First State Bank of Weatherford, Weatherford Chamber of Commerce, and Trinity Valley Electric Co-op in Kaufman (where he retired after 11 years of service in December 2021). He also served the Weatherford Independent School District as President of 'Partners in Education Advisory Council' and as a founding member of 'Partners in Education'.
He was preceded in death by his father, Turner, mother, Olga Coats, and a brother Mack Lang.
Dave is survived by his wife of 61 years, Ruth Ann (Lundy) Lang, sons Michael and wife Rita of College Station, and Brian and wife Sheree of Poolville, Texas. He had five grandchildren, Shelby and husband Eddie Cisneros of Cypress, Texas, Emery Lang of Poolville, Russell Lang and wife Cassie of Cypress, Texas, and Evan and Eli Lang of Poolville. He had four great-grandchildren: Emily, Aubrey, and Molly Lang of Cypress and Micah Cisneros of Cypress. He is also survived by brothers, T Lang of Dallas and John Lang and wife Billie of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Numerous nieces, nephews, friends, neighbors, and all the members of the table of knowledge at the Bradford Cafe.
Visitation will be held from 4-6:00 p.m. Saturday, June 11, 2022, at Hannigan Smith Funeral Home of Athens, Texas.
Pallbearers will be Evan Lang, Eli Lang, Russell Lang, Joe T. Lang, Eddie Cisneros, and Bryce Gossett.
In lieu of flowers, the family would like donations made in Dave's memory to Happy Hill Farm, 3846 N. Highway, Granbury, Texas 76048, or the Athens FUMC Building Fund.
Funeral arrangements were entrusted to the Hannigan Smith Funeral Home family.