Donald Clay Pfiester, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend passed on Feb. 17, 2022. Don was born on Jan. 20, 1949, to Roy Edward (Bunk) Pfiester and Sammie Warnock Pfiester in Fort Stockton, Texas.

Hunting and fishing were natural to Don, two passions he continued to have all his life and eventually passed on to his grandchildren.

Don met the love of his life, Karen Ann Bryce, when he was just 14 years old. He once described Karen as "the sweetest girl who immediately stole my heart.” After dating for eight years, they married in 1971, and celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last summer. Together they built a life full of love, fun, adventure, and family.

After graduating from Fort Stockton High School, Don attended the University of Texas at Austin. Don earned his degree in mathematics in 1971, and graduated with ROTC honors. Always highly goal oriented and disciplined, Don would often say, "You have to be thinking all the time.”

Don had taken to flying at the age of 16, and earned his pilot license at 17, a passion that would quickly become a lasting fixture in Don's life. His drive and desire to serve the country that he loved propelled him from ROTC into a career in the U.S. Air Force. Don became a member of the famous Black Sheep squadron, and one of a select group to initially fly and train pilots in the F-15 fighter. Many future Air Force pilots benefited from Don's instruction, sometimes direct, but always with a purpose.

While in the Air Force, Don and Karen started their family with the birth of their daughters Jaybie and Rachel. Don took extreme pride in his two girls, and earned two bonus sons in their husbands whom he adored as well. The absolute lights of his life were his five grandchildren with whom he could never spend enough time.

Don's devotion to family and his desire to share more time with them led him to retire from Air Force service in 1979. Always craving a challenge, and a quintessential Texan, Don turned his talents to oil and gas development. Without formal training Don quickly became a trusted leader within Clayton Williams Oil and Gas company. He was always grateful for the friendship and mentorship of so many he worked with in those early years.

Ever the entrepreneur, Don and Karen moved the family to Colleyville, Texas, in 1984 so he could continue along a path to starting his own oil and gas company. Once again, many life-long friends were made both in the community and among those who worked alongside Don.

Both Jaybie and Rachel graduated from L.D. Bell High School, with Don the proud father of a dance team captain and lead cheerleader.

Though extremely successful in his life's work, Don's true happiness derived from time spent with family and friends. Along with his two brothers, Sam and Eddie, and a handful of close friends, Don was a founding member of the sometimes maligned, but always well-intentioned, River Ratus Americanus. The River Rats made expeditions all over the world, and Don touched the lives of so many friends, both old and less-old. In his later years, Don was blessed to spend true quality time with the love of his life, Karen. Together, they enjoyed adventures, a growing family, and simple pleasures, like a quiet night at home.

As a lasting legacy, a place to always call home and for friends to gather, Don purchased property in the rolling hills of Limestone County, Texas, affectionately dubbed the "Pfranch" by family. Holidays were always joyful, and the stocked fishing pond provided ample grounds for Don to make sure his grandchildren could handle a fishing rod and identify a good fishing hole. Many days were spent improving the grounds, fixing things that broke or training his sons-in-law to more properly start a fire. Priceless hours passed surveying for wildlife, teaching grandchildren to drive ATVs, and sometimes how to get them unstuck from creeks and mud holes.

Don will be laid to rest on those grounds that he loved. While he will be missed dearly, he will always be present with the family he loved and joyfully worked so hard to provide for.

Don was preceded in death by his mother and father and infant twin sons Donald Keith and Sam Boyd. He is survived by his high school love, 58-year date companion and wife, Karen. He is also survived by his two daughters, Jaybie Thurmond and husband Tom of the Woodlands, Texas, and Rachel Miller and husband Jon (Matt) Miller of Keller, Texas; grandchildren who were the joy of his life, Clayton, Emmy, Matthew, Max, and Mason; his life-long fellow adventurers and brothers Sam and wife Rebecca and Eddie and wife Cyndy; his sister in-law Julie and husband Mike; and nieces and nephews he adored and cherished spending time with, Winston, Austin, Abigail, Brooksie, Lauren, and their families.

Don made so many close and dear friends along the way, from his hometown to the Air Force to his oil field compatriots and neighbors from the San Antonio, Texas, Fort Worth, Texas, and Georgetown communities. Don treated his friendships the same way he treated his life - with care, purpose and love. We will miss you, Don.

A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 6, 2022, at Ramsey Funeral Home, 5600 Williams Drive, Georgetown, TX 78633. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given in his honor to the American Heart Association.

In the wisdom of his father Bunk, and in words that Don would often share, time marches on.