DAVID ALTON RISINGER: August 20, 1945—November 14, 2024.
David Risinger, 79, passed away peacefully at his home in Houston on November 14, 2024. He was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great friend to many. David was born in Bryan TX on August 20, 1945, to Alton and Mamie Ruth “John” Risinger.
In his passing, David is survived by his loving wife, Libby Risinger, and their daughter Melanie Risinger of Washington D.C.; his sister Pat Risinger of Bryan; his daughter-in-law Cherie Risinger of Fulshear TX and son-in-law Jose Dominguez of Washington DC; four grandchildren: Colin Jr. (CJ) Risinger and Avery Risinger; Isabel Dominguez and Milo Dominguez; and numerous extended family members and cherished friends. He was preceded in death by his son, Colin Risinger.
In 1967, he graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and then earned a master’s degree from the University of Oregon in 1968.
Upon completing his education, he served in the U.S. Army for two years, including one year of active duty during the Vietnam War.
After his Army service, David settled in Dallas, where he began a career in journalism, writing for the Baptist Standard newspaper. He then transitioned to public relations, working for religious outlets, such as The Baptist National Convention and Dallas Baptist University.
He married Mary Elizabeth (Libby) Zabcik on June 17, 1977, at his beloved Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas.
In 1978, David moved to Houston to further pursue his career in public relations, working in various industries including energy, retail, business services, and real estate. Most notably, he spent the last 10 years of his career as a proud employee of United Airlines, cherishing his role to enhance the customer experience of “flying the friendly skies” before retiring in 2016.
Outside of his professional life, David was a faithful and long-time member of Houston’s First Baptist Church. There, he was able to express his devotion to helping others by serving as a deacon, a Stephen Minister, and a teacher of youth missions. Also, he actively pursued his passion for music by lending his voice to the church choir, singing enthusiastically in Sunday morning services and performing in Christmas pageants.
Most of all, David found immense joy in attending family gatherings, spending time with friends, and traveling globally with his wife in later years.
David was laid to rest at Steep Hollow Cemetery in Bryan. A celebration of his life was held in the chapel of Houston’s First Baptist Church on January 6, 2025.
https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/houston-tx/david-risinger-12078877
Charlotte Cole (Wilson)
David and I go way back. We were bus buddies in Mrs. Hicks' bus #44. Claudia got on first, David, Kay then Billy Bob, George Lee and me. The year was 1950.
I always thought that David was smart and that he was always willing to help a friend. I kept up with him during the summer as our daddys were good friends and I would often ride out with Daddy to see Mr. Risinger. They always needed to talk about some horse, saddle, cow or maybe hay prices.
Thanks to this website, I was able to put to test the myth that it is always good to have "friends in high places". About 15 years ago, I had reservations for 15 people to fly from Houston to Albuquerque on a Sunday morning. These were campers with brain injury who were going to be attending the TBI camp in Red River, NM. For some unknown reason the flight was cancelled about a week before the departure date. If they took the later flight, they would miss the chartered bus from the airport to Red River. This was a serious situation.
I had just read in David's bio that he was with Continental/United Airlines. So, I called him sharing much distress about our situation. He told me that there was nothing that he could do, but he agreed make a few calls. Well, 3 days later, our flight was back on the active board. I couldn't believe my eyes. So, I called David to tell him the good news and express my gratitude. He said he didn't do anything, but I know he did. Thank you, David. Yes, it is good to have "friends in high places!"
Phil Cox
David and I joked several years ago about having a house divided - some family members who were Aggies and several who were ut graduates, making for fun times over thanksgiving dinners. Haha. His career accomplishments are certainly admirable. He was a selfless person totally considerate of others.