Robert Derflinger

Robert Derflinger, Sr. age 83, of San Antonio, passed away on the afternoon of Wednesday, March 15, 2023.

Funeral services are scheduled for 2:00 pm, Friday, March 24, 2023 at First Baptist Church in Gatesville.  Visitation with the family will be one hour prior to services at the church.  Interment will follow at Hemmeline Cemetery.

Robert Franklin Derflinger was born August 24, 1939 at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington D.C., to the late Russell Henry Derflinger and Effie Norton Athey Derflinger, who resided in Front Royal, VA. Robert lived in Front Royal until his high school graduation in 1958. He and his buddy, Johnny Gardner left and joined the US Air Force in 1958, serving in Texas, England, Maryland and Okinawa, serving during the Vietnam Era. During his military service in Fort Worth, he met and married Mary Lou Patterson of Gatesville in 1959.  He was then sent to Mildenhall in Suffolk, England and later assigned to Andrews AFB in Maryland. Robert and his young family then moved to Carswell AFB in Fort Worth, where they resided until leaving the service and settling in San Antonio in 1966. After his military service, he started his business venture as an Exxon Dealer and serviced a large customer base in the area for over 20 years. He was an extremely hard-working man and industrious. He was a very personable individual known for his story telling and preaching. He loved the Lord and served as a deacon and member of Allena Baptist Church and Oak Ridge Baptist Church in San Antonio. He enjoyed the hobbies of gardening and reading, particularly his western novels and his Bible daily. He loved spending time with his family.

He was preceded in death by his parents; siblings, Walter Evans, Irvin Derflinger, Ollie Derflinger, Virginia Hickerson, Marvin Derflinger, Clarence Derflinger, Lillian Pauline Laing and Betty Jo Madigan.

Robert is survived by his wife of 63 years, Mary Lou Derflinger; son, Robert Derflinger, Jr. and wife, Debby; daughter, Kathryn Hojnacki and husband, Anthony; daughter, Paula Greenwood and husband, Troy; grandchildren, Elisha Hojnacki and husband, Christopher Hillhouse, Krista Flores and husband, Marcus, Vance Derflinger and wife, Melanie, Samantha Rodriguez and husband, Willy, Madison Pryor and husband, Daniel, Taylor Hojnacki, Gregory Greenwood, Benjamin Derflinger, Christopher Greenwood and Stacie Greenwood; and eight great grandchildren, Lillian, Avora , Kinley, Theodore, Adalynn, Riley, Eleanor, Genevieve and soon to arrive baby boy Derflinger.  He is also survived by sisters, Anna Mae Shrader of Front Royal, VA and Madeline Burns of Maryland and many nieces and nephews.