Palestine High School Alumni Association

Graveside services for Starling Alexander Kiser, 89, of Palestine will be at 2 pm on Thursday, February 13, 2014, at the Chapel of the Air at Land of Memory Cemetery with Rev. Roger Clayton officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Herrington / Land of Memory Funeral Home.

A visitation will be held at Land of Memory Cemetery on Thursday one hour prior to the service.

Mr. Kiser passed away on Sunday, February 9, 2014, at a Tyler nursing home.

He was born on October 23, 1924, to James Arthur Kiser and Mollie Mack Kiser in Anderson County, Texas. He attended Palestine High School and entered the U.S. Army in February 1943. Mr. Kiser served in the Asiatic Pacific Theater during WWII and in occupied Japan as an Army ambulance driver.

He was known as “Junior” to many of his friends. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, reading Louis L’Amour novels, and collecting model horses. He was a member of Broyles Chapel Baptist Church.

Mr. Kiser worked for many years in auto dealerships, auto parts sales, and retired from Murray Corporation. After ‘retirement’ he established Kiser Country Traders. In his travels to various trades day, he acquired a number of close friends. He retired again at the age of 85.

Mr. Kiser was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Mavis Hassell Kiser; daughter, Janice Kiser Rogers; brother, E. D. Kiser; and sisters, Belle Grasty, and Zelma Leistra.

Survivors include sisters, Ruby Cross of Riverside, Texas and Ima Graves of Taft, Texas along with five nieces, a nephew, and a number of great-nieces and nephews.