Albert James (Al) Springs Jr.

Al Springs was born in Seguin, Texas, March 16, 1926. His parents were Albert James Springs Sr. and Mozelle Echols Springs.

Al graduated from Seguin High School in 1942. He entered Texas A&M College and completed one year before enlisting in the Navy. He served two years in the Navy and returned to Texas A&M to complete his education and earned a degree in Wildlife Management with the class of 1947.

In August of 1948 he married Dorothy Louise Johnson and they shared 70 years together. They have two sons, Robert James (Bob) and wife Candace of New Braunfels and Michael Edward (Mike) Springs and wife Connie of Houston. He has three grandchildren, Shannon and her husband Jason Newman, Christen and wife Amy and Coley and her husband Michael Anzur. He also has two great granddaughters, Madison and Payton Newman. He is survived by his wife, the sons and their families, a sister Virginia Davis, brother-in-law Bill Johnson and sister-in-law Ruby Lindeman. Also, many nieces and nephews in which he maintained a close relationship.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister Isabelle and husband Harry Burns, brother and sister in-laws Ed Smith, Kenneth Davis, Alfred Lindeman, Ron Ridge, Fletcher Johnson, Jane Johnson and Bobbie Johnson.

Al had a 38-year career with the Texas Parks and Wildlife, of which he truly enjoyed. His first assignment was in Nixon, Texas working on the restoration of quail in South Texas. His next project was in Fairfield, Texas where he worked on restoring deer and turkey in East Texas. In 1955 he moved to the headquarters for the TPWD in Austin and remained there until his retirement as Director of Wildlife in 1986. During his tenure in Austin he was involved in Long Range Planning, Regional Operations and Budgeting and traveled extensively throughout Texas. He was also the Texas representative to the Annual Central Flyway Meeting which led to travel throughout the Midwest.

In 1978, he began the production of native pecans from the family orchard in Gonzales County. He soon expanded the orchard by adding 900 new trees and later grafting them with improved varieties. After his retirement, he spent time caring for and harvesting his pecan orchard.

Al especially enjoyed hunting and fishing. Most of all, he enjoyed teaching his sons how to hunt and fish. They spent much of their time fishing the lakes around Austin and hunting on the family property in Gonzales. He also, continued to enjoy Aggie football and attended many games with family and friends. He loved to travel and he and Dorothy visited a majority of the United States including Hawaii and Alaska. They also traveled to Japan, Hong Kong, Amsterdam, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and France.

He truly enjoyed his work, loved his family, his home and maintained a beautifully landscaped yard.

Visitation will be at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 5 at Crestview Methodist Church, 1300 Morrow St., Austin, Texas. Services will begin at 10:30 a.m. Interment will be at 2:30 p.m. at the Odd Fellows Cemetery on Highway 183 in Gonzales, Texas.

Pallbearers will be, Larry Burns, Norman Burns, Mike Burke, Pat Bullinger, Tom Johnson, David Lindeman, Jason Newman, and Christen Springs.

Honorary pallbearer will be Randy Gipson.

Memorial donations may be made to Cure Alzheimer's Fund at: donate@curealz.org, or the American Heart Association.