Eiland Presswood

A father, coach, and friend Eiland Keith Presswood passed quietly and peacefully on December 7th, at a Nursing Care Facility in Decatur, TX. Born in Grand Saline, Keith was a graduate of Grand Saline High School and attended Texas A&M University where he was in the Corp of Cadets and studied Mechanical Engineering (ME). After skipping a semester Keith was drafted into the Army and was honorably discharge in 1963. While serving he was stationed at Fort Bliss in El Paso where he met his first and only wife Renate Stoeber and became a father in 1960 with the birth of son Mark Richard and in 1963 with the birth of his daughter Stacey Dee. He became an associate aerospace engineer with Convair/General Dynamics and became involved with local politics when he was elected a White Settlement City Councilman in the late 1960s. He divorced from Renate in 1970 and a short time later was part of a large employment reduction at General Dynamics. Keith used this time to work part time and complete his degree requirements at the University of Texas at Arlington earning a Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1973. Keith was a recognized, NTX-champion, and long-time coach in White Settlement Youth Sports coaching both Football and Baseball for many years. His first job after receiving his degree was with Bell Helicopter Textron but when General Dynamics rehired in the late 1970s he returned to GD in 1979 to finish his career. He loved playing Slow Pitch Softball and in 1967 his Sonics team won a State Championship. He continued playing and coaching an adult woman's softball team with his daughter Stacey on his team. Some of his favorite memories include hunting and fishing with his brother Bill and socializing with many life-long friends. After retirement he was hired by Sargent Fletcher to consult on fuel system designs for future Military Aircrafts that included the F16, F22, and F35 aircrafts.

Survivors: Keith is survived by his son Mark and wife Pam of Fort Worth, grandchildren Trey and wife Jessica of Fort Worth, Alyssa and husband Sam Lackey of Fort Worth, Bret and partner MacKenzie of Denver, and great-grandchildren Cora & Elise (Trey), and Lawson (Aly). Also, daughter Stacey Parker and husband Brent, of Decatur, with grandchildren Colton and Samantha Jo, both of Fort Worth.