Edgar Joseph "Joe" Gaston

Edgar Joseph “Joe” Gaston, 87, of Hurst, Texas, peacefully passed away at home in Hurst, Texas, on September 18, 2020. He will always be remembered as a loving husband, father, brother, grandfather, great grandfather, uncle, and friend to all that knew and loved him.

He was born on October 18, 1932, at the family farm in Harold, Wilbarger County, Texas to Edgar J. and Lois Waggoner Gaston and was the oldest of five children. His family moved to Vernon, Texas, and then Kress, Texas, and graduated Kress High School (Kress Kangaroos). At graduation, he went to work on an oil crew for a short time. His family moved to Lawton, Oklahoma and he was drafted into the Army. He was deployed to Korea just as the armistice was signed but served in Korea in the demilitarized zone until his discharge.

Joe attended Cameron College in Lawton, Oklahoma, and moved to Fort Worth, Texas to work for CAA (“FAA”) in 1956 where he started as a draftsman and later took correspondence courses to gain his Electrical Engineering degree. Joe played a significant role in the development of air traffic control and communication facilities throughout the southwest region. His proudest work with FAA was to help engineer and install communications at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.

Joe met a secretary at the FAA named Carol Janet Rea and the couple married on June 8, 1957. The Gastons moved to Hurst, Texas in 1959. Joe and Carol raised four children and enjoyed numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren in the same home Joe and Carol established together.

Joe taught himself to repair what “needed” fixing. He enjoyed working on cars, home repairs, and appliances. He said if it wasn’t working, he couldn’t hurt it, so he wasn’t afraid to try to make the effort. Joe had his own appliance repair business and helped many people at an affordable price.

Joe and his family became active at the First United Methodist Church of Hurst and have been longtime members. Joe was heavily involved in scouting for over twenty years and participated in coaching both boys’ baseball and girls’ softball. Joe served as a Past Worshipful Master Mason, in Smithfield Lodge Number 455 A.F, & A.M.

Joe and Carol enjoyed the adventure of traveling and passed this legacy onto their family. Joe took the family on many camping trips in tents, pop up trailers, and RVs. Joe was a member of both the Friendship and Coachmen Clubs, traveling as far as Alaska and all stops in between.

Joe is preceded in death by parents, Edgar J. and Lois Waggoner Gaston; brothers, Donald and Reginald. He is survived by wife, Carol Rea Gaston of Hurst, Texas; sons, Michael Gaston, and wife, Liz of Fort Worth, Texas, and Timothy Gaston and wife, Teri of Monroe, New Hampshire; daughters, Amy, and husband, Dwayne Williams of Hurst, Texas, and Susan and husband, Jeff Brandon of Crystal Beach, Texas; 9 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren; sisters, Barbara, and husband, Doyle Cook of Hamilton, Texas, and Betty and husband, Bud Chidester of Lawton, Oklahoma; sister-in-law, Cindy, and husband, Terry Pyle of Waldron, Arkansas and brother-in-law, H.H. Rea and wife, Lynnelle of Bedford, Texas.

Interment will be at the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery. A memorial service will be held at the First United Methodist Church of Hurst on Friday, September 25, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. The Memorial service may be viewed at https://livestream.com/fumchurst/events/9314528 Friday, September 25th at 1:00pm.