Preston Hastings Dial

DIAL, PRESTON HASTINGS (1928 ~ 2023).The following is an obituary for Preston Hastings Dial, former Texas Fourth Court of Appeals and 175th District judge. The obituary was provided by Porter-Loring Mortuary of San Antonio. 

Judge Preston "Peppy" Hastings Dial, Jr. was born in San Antonio, Texas on October 31, 1928, to Preston H. Dial, Sr. and Mamie Russey Dial. Judge Dial died on January 11, 2023. He is survived by his daughter, Debra Lynn Dial of Dallas, Texas; son, Robert Scott Dial of Atascosa County; and their mother, Sue Copeland Dial of San Antonio, Texas. He was predeceased by his second wife, Virginia Jordan Dial; parents; and sisters, Virginia Dial Spring and Katherine "Kaki" Dial Murray.

Judge Dial received his BA (Plan II) and JD degrees from The University of Texas in 1954 where he was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity and Foreman (President) of the Texas Cowboys. He was a Colonel in the Air Force having served in the Air Rescue Service in the Philippine Islands and Okinawa during the Korean War. He remained in the Air Force Reserves for 30 years, serving as the Wing Judge Advocate for the 433rd "Alamo" Wing.

He was a Briefing Attorney for the Supreme Court of Texas and Federal Prosecutor, and served as the First Assistant District Attorney for Bexar County. He served as Judge for the 175th District Court of Bexar County for 13 years, followed by Justice of the Fourth Court of Appeals in 1982 where he served for six years. He retired from the bench in 1988 after which he worked in private practice as an appellate specialist. He was a director of the State Bar of Texas and a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation.

He was active with the Boy Scouts for over 70 years. He was an Eagle Scout, member of the Order of the Arrow, Scoutmaster, Cubmaster, District Chairman, and Council Vice-President. He received the Silver Beaver Award for outstanding service to Boy Scouts.

Judge Dial was a life-long member of the United Methodist Church serving as a Church Lay Leader and a member of the Board of Stewards. His love of travel took him to all seven continents and included hunting trips to Alaska, British Columbia, Spain, and some of the oldest ranches in South Texas.

The family would like to thank Carolyn Petersen for her steadfast friendship to Judge Dial and his family. They would also like to thank his caregivers, Sandy Forrester, Donna Pequeno, and Téa Blount for their loving and respectful support.

The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m., Sunday, January 29, 2023, at Porter Loring Mortuary.

FUNERAL SERVICE
MONDAY,
JANUARY 30, 2023
10:00 A.M.
ALAMO HEIGHTS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
825 E. BASSE ROAD, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS 78209
Reception to follow at the Towers on Park Lane

GRAVESIDE SERVICE
MONDAY,
JANUARY 30, 2023
3:00 P.M.
TEXAS STATE CEMETERY
909 NAVOSATA STREET, AUSTIN, TEXAS 78702

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in memory of Judge Dial to Alamo Heights United Methodist Church (825 E. Basse Road, San Antonio, Texas 78209), Mays Cancer Center (7979 Wurzbach Rd, San Antonio, TX 78229), or Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas (811 N Coker Loop, San Antonio, TX 78216).