Gene Howard Kvapil

Gene Howard Kvapil, 87, husband, father, grandfather, and brother, went to be with the Lord on April 28th. Born in Rowena, TX to Anton and Caroline Kvapil on June 13, 1938, he attended Wall High School where he was a member of the very first graduating class. This was when his passion for basketball began, and he passed this down to his daughters, cheering for them in their games, rehashing the games when we got home, and taking us all to the Boys State Basketball Tournament every year for the next fifty. His many special friends in sports included the “front row crew”: Ralph Matschek, Tommy Chapman, Doc Reel, MIke Braden, Kenneth Powell, Frank Gerngross Jr., and Russ Weatherford. Other special friends are—for the love of the games— Randall Caussey and wife Lynanne and the late Coach Warren Townley and his wife, Nona. An avid Wall Hawk fan, he loved everything Wall Hawk, and he bled green.

One of Howard’s legacies is the watermelon business. With a picnic table in the front yard, he and his girls sold a few melons from the garden that first year, enough to pay for a trip to Six Flags! From there, he planted more and more every year, and soon was wholesaling melons all over town. His work ethic was unmatched as he demonstrated daily how hard work paved the way for family unity and pride in one’s efforts. These traits were passed down to his next generation where his grandkids worked the melon fields too. His mantra when it finally rained: “The melons are laughing.” He would literally sing that line every time it rained. Customers knew that they would get “the sweet one” when they came to Howard’s roadside stand, and he loved waiting on his customers.

Howard worked for several years at Mustang Chevrolet as Parts Manager, and then for 30 years at Goodyear Proving Grounds where he made many lifelong friends, and—after retirement—weekly coffee buddies: Jimmy Badgett, James McWorter, Morris Overstreet, and Nelson Roach.

Howard considered his mule deer-hunting friends especially close: Nolan Niehues, Delbert Halfmann, Norbert Matthiesen, Jerry Hoelscher, Dwayne Hoelscher, Leon Halfmann and the late Buzz Stice, Arnold Matthiesen, and Clifford Hoelscher.

He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Dorothy Hoelscher Kvapil, daughters Terri Walling and husband, Jamie, Vicki Beard, and Janice Matschek and husband Greg—all of Wall. He is also survived by a brother, Frank, and his wife Karen of San Antonio, TX., and brother-in-law Norbert Matthiesen, of Brady, TX. Surviving grandchildren are Dean Beard and wife, Zoey of Marble Falls, Justin Walling and wife, Jenna, of Austin, Austin Matschek and wife Taylor of Wall, Allison Beard of San Angelo, Michael Walling of Iraan, Brent Matschek and wife, Allie of San Angelo, Kelsey Walling of Austin, and Ryan Walling of Eldorado. Howard is also survived by six great-grandchildren: Cameron Beard, Maddox Beard, Mauri Jo and Mabri Matschek, Emmett Walling, and Miles Matschek.

He is also survived by his in-laws: Dwayne and Janell Hoelscher, Sandra and Steve Cooey, Jerry and Arlene Hoelscher, and Steve and Jennifer Hoelscher along with many nieces and nephews on both sides of the family.

Howard is preceded in death by his parents, Anton and Caroline Kvapil, Sister Billie Jean Matthiesen, in-laws Herbert and Florine Hoelscher, Sisters-in-law/Brothers-in-law Clifford and Joyce Hoelscher, and Frank and Marjorie Hoelscher.

A devout Catholic, Howard was a member of the Knights of Columbus and the St. Ambrose Choir, and he raised his family accordingly in the faith. He was also a Wall Booster Club President in 1976.

Rosary service will be recited at St. Ambrose Catholic Church on Thursday, April 30th, at 6:00 PM. Funeral mass will be Friday morning at 10:00 AM at St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Wall, Tx. The burial will follow at St. Ambrose Catholic Cemetery.

We want to especially thank Keith Goodman, Amy Watkins, and Jeanie Torres for their special help with our dad.

The pallbearers will be all the grandchildren.