David Mathis Fender

Services for David Mathis Fender, 76, of Tyler will be held on Saturday, February 3, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. at Stewart Family Funeral Home with The Very Reverend M. L. Agnew officiating. Father Agnew married David Mathis Fender and Jane McKnight Fender 42 years ago in Fort Worth, TX. Shortly thereafter the couple moved to Tyler, TX, where they raised their family. Mr. Fender passed away Saturday, January 20, 2024, in Tyler after a series of strokes. He received excellent care by the U.T. Health Intensive Care Unit and doctors at 2 West, and after a month moved up to the Long-Term Acute Care Hospital on the 5th floor west of U.T. Health for another two months and a half where he again, received compassionate and devoted professional care by the respiratory techs, nurses, attending doctors, and Palliative Care Doctors. We are very appreciative of their attention and support of our entire family. David was born September 2, 1947, in Tyler to Harris Roberts Fender Sr. and LaVelle Dunwoody Fender. David was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church, Jacksonville, TX where he was a lay reader, St. John Episcopal Church, Tyler, TX where he was also a lay reader, and Christ Episcopal Church, Tyler, TX. He was a member of the University of Texas Texas Exes, he was a US Army and National Guard Veteran, a 32nd-degree Free Mason, and Shriner. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Journalism and graduated from The Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at Southern Methodist University with a master’s degree in Commercial Banking. He was president and CEO of Fender Exploration and Production Company as well as a co-founder of Airedale Royalty. David was preceded in death by his father Harris R. Fender and mother LaVelle Dunwoody Fender. He is survived by his loving family including wife Jane McKnight Fender, son Mathis McKnight Fender, daughter Abigail Anne Fender, brother Dr. Harris R. Fender Jr. and wife Keri, nephews Hammond Fender and wife Amanda, Bailey Fender and wife Kim, Wade Fender, niece Kassidy Fender, great-nephews Harris, and Hunt Fender, great-nieces Hadley, and Emmy Fender, cousins Julia Duffy, Jay Duffy, and Reanne Trotter Barber, John and Rob Stow. Memorial service is scheduled from 1:00 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. on Saturday, February 3, 2024, at Stewart Family Funeral Home, 7525 Old Jacksonville Highway in Tyler. If desired, memorials may be made to Hospice of East Texas (www.hospiceofeasttexas.org) 4111 University Blvd., Tyler, TX 75701; St. Jude’s (www.stjude.org) 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105; or SPCA (www.spcaeasttx.com) 3245 W. Grande, Tyler, TX 75703.

David Mathis Fender

September 2, 1947 - January 20, 2024