Grayson County TXGenWeb

Arthur Kislack
28 July 1934 - 18 October 2014

Joyce Kislack
22 June 1934 -

Van Alstyne, Texas -- Arthur Kislack of Van Alstyne, Texas passed away October 18, 2014 from complications of Alzheimer's disease. Art was born July 28, 1934 in New York, NY to Isabel and Michael Kislack. He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Elizabeth Schroeder Croskey. Art is survived by his wife of 57 years, Joyce Buche Kislack; sisters: Dorothy Morris, Loretta Schroeder and Eleanor Hirchak; children Michael Kislack and his wife Wanda, Stephen Kislack, and Susan Kislack Torma and her husband Michael; grandchildren: Shane Kislack, Chris Murphy, Ashley Murphy, Chris Torma and Matt Torma; and 4 great grandchildren.
Art dropped out of high school at the age of 17 and joined the U.S. Navy. While in the Navy he completed his GED. He then went on to earn a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Purde University and a Masters
of Science in Electrical Engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. Art served in the Navy
for 22 years and was a veteran of the Vietnam War. He was assigned to the U.S.S. Intrepid where he
was part of the recovery of the first manned space shuttle, Gemini 3. After retiring from the Navy, Art moved to Texas and worked for Texas Instruments for 17 years, he then began his own engineering consulting business, Coyote Consulting.
Art and Joyce met while Art was in the Navy and married six months later. Together they raised three children, completed a demanding Naval career, built three barns and a house with their own hands and enjoyed many years together. The couple moved to Van Alstyne, Texas in 1980 and made this community their home. While out in the country, the former New Yorker tended to fields, fences, horses, dogs, sheep, cats, a goat and thoroughly enjoyed his role as Gentleman Pig Farmer.
After his retirement from TI, Art began a life of service to his home community, Van Alstyne, Texas.
He was Treasurer for the Ministerial Alliance for many years and helped with planning and execution
of numerous community projects. Art spent countless hours organizing and building projects for the Great Days of Service.
Many Van Alstyne graduates will remember Mr. Kislack as their high school math tutor. Art was a founding member of the Holy Family Catholic Church where he was also a lector. Art spent many years volunteering with local Senior Center, continuing to help in the kitchen even when his disease prevented him from continuing his other community service.
Art received the following recognitions: Van Alstyne High School Volunteer of the Year in 2003, Outstanding Achievement for Community Service by the South Grayson County Republican Club and special recognition from the Ministerial Alliance for Community Service.
Visitation will be 6:00 p.m. Tuesday October, 21 at Scoggins Funeral Home, Van Alstyne, Texas, with a rosary beginning at 7:00 p.m. A funeral mass will be held at Holy Family Catholic Church, Van Alstyne, Texas, Wednesday, October 22 at 10:00 a.m.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association. The family thanks the staff of Stoneybrook Memory Care in McKinney, Texas for the outstanding care, tenderness and love they shared with Art and his entire family.
Funeral services are under the direction of Scoggins Funeral Home, 637 West Van Alstyne Parkway,
Van Alstyne Texas 75495, 903-482-5225.

Joyce Kislack passed away peacefully March 11, 2019 in Shreveport, Louisiana. Born June 22, 1934 in Winona, Minnesota, daughter of Ruth and John Buche, Joyce was preceded in death by her parents and her husband of 57 years, Art Kislack.
Joyce is survived by her brother, John Buche and wife, Helen; children, Michael Kislack and wife, Wanda; Stephen Kislack and partner, Joseph Liu; and Susan Kislack Torma and husband, Michael; grandchildren, Shane Kislack; Chris Murphy; Ashley Murphy; Chris Torma and Matt Torma; 4 great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews.
She was especially close to Carol, Karen and Karl Buche.
Joyce attended business school in Rochester, New Mexico and accepted her first position in downtown Rochester.
At the instance encouragement of her brother, John, Joyce moved to Lafayette, Indiana where John, a member of the U.S. Navy, was attending Purdue University. It was there she met Art, also in the Navy and a student at Purdue. Six months later, Joyce and Art were married. Together they raised 3 children, built 3 barns and a house with their own hands and enjoyed 57 years together. The couple moved to Van Alstyne, Texas in 1980 and made this community their home.
While her children were young, Joyce was an active volunteer in their schools and extracurricular activities. She was a room mother, Den Mother, library assistant, 4-H leader, camp chaperone, show horse chauffeur, and always ready to lend a helping hand. Later, Joyce went back to work for a small petroleum company in Dallas and worked there until her retirement.
After retiring, Joyce, a lifelong seamstress, knitter, and embroiderer, began quilting. Applying the same exacting precision to her quilting that she did to her other handwork, Joyce quickly became a master quilter. She created numerous pieces of art that are treasured by family and friends. Joyce and Roxanne Rentzel opened and ran The Carriage House Quilt Shoppe in downtown Van Alstyne for several years. Joyce remained active in the Grayson County Quilters Guild until her move to Louisiana.
In Van Alstyne Joyce was active in Holy Family Catholic Church, President of Footlighters Community Theater Group, on the board of the Van Alstyne Senior Center, shelved books at the public library, volunteered at the Van Alstyne public museum, and supported many other community activities.
A funeral mass was held Thursday morning, March 21, 2019 at the Holy Family Catholic Church, Van Alstyne, Texas. Rev. Stephen W. Bierschenk officiated.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, www.woundedwarriorproject.org.
Funeral services were under the direction of Scoggins Funeral Home, Van Alstyne, Texas.