Gerald M. Pointer's Obituary
Our Father, like none other, passed from our world into the loving arms or our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on June 26, 2011. Born into poverty in Roswell, New Mexico, this son of a laundress was reared in a house with dirt floors and a stepfather that made him sleep on an outside screened in porch. When his mother died at age 13 he went to live with an aunt and uncle in College Station, Texas who owned and operated a restaurant/gambling parlor and liquor store called the Avalon Club, located across the old Jones Bridge that spanned the Brazos River. Gerald ran the liquor store and lived behind it while attending Bryan High School and playing basketball and football. He took his meals of red beans and cornbread at the restaurant. He made regular runs to Orange, Tx with his”Uncle Clay ” to buy illegal whiskey for the Club. To afford college, Gerald joined the Marines in 1944 and completed a tour of duty during WWII and was in the Tokoyo Bay Harbor playing poker on his ship, waiting for combat duty on land when the Japanese surrendered. He went to Texas A&M on the GI bill and graduated in 1950 with a degree in Business Administration as one of the few ” non-regs” at Texas A&M at that time. Determined to succeed, he went to work for International Betchel Builders in the mid 1950’s laying pipe in the Saudi Desert. He saved the “seed money” to start his first real estate development business, Pointer, Payne and Walker. Walker was the famous Doak Walker of SMU football fame. Gerald was not good at “playing with others” and soon amassed the resources to break out on his own. In 1955 he started Heritage Building Company which he owned and operated until his death. Heritage Building Company built approximately 30 apartment complexes totaling some 4,000 units in addition to several shopping centers. He also developed and built many subdivisions of single family homes in Dallas, Forney, Duncanville, Farmers Branch and Carrollton. Every piece of property he developed and constructed was designed by his dear friend of over 50 years, John E. Taylor, Designer who is still in business today. The City of Carrollton asked him to donate 10 acres for a park for the neighborhood he developed and built there. Not happy about giving away land his response was ” If you are going to make me donate a park you must name it after my wife”. Martha Pointer Park is located in Carrolton in the vicinity of Trinity Mills and Placid Drive today. Civic activities include President of the Farmers Branch Chamber of Commerce and the Roads and Highway Chairman. He participated in cutting the ribbon for opening the 3.7 mile leg of Stemmons Freeway that ran through Farmers Branch and completed I 35 from Dallas to Ardmore, OK. He was the local Democratic Precinct Chairman for his area and was a member of the Masonic Lodge. Gerald was a private pilot with his instruments rating and loved flying in his red Cherokee Piper. Gerald was an avid hunter and active member of the Dallas Gun Club since 1968. He served on the Board of Directors for 1975-1983 and President in 1980. He was instrumental in the moving the Gun Club from Royal Lane in the 1980’s to its present location. He was a permanent fixture there for many years shooting targets every afternoon and making lifelong friends. Gerald was married to Martha Blalock and has two children. Nancy L Pointer and husband David Smith of Houston and Sue Pointer of Amarillo, Texas. A Father that believed his duty as a parent was to prepare his children for the world without him, Gerald taught his daughters to fend for themselves and be independent. Martha and Gerald divorced in 1983. He lived the remainder of his life with second wife Peggy S. Pointer and has a step-daughter Debbie McNutt and husband Tommy McNutt of Conroe, Texas. Gerald is also survived by his nephew Edwin (Skip) Freeman and his wife Kathe Haxthausen of Colleyville, cousins Betty Ruth Brady and Yvonne and Ida Lou Brady all of Austin, Texas Heartfelt thanks to Gerald’s caregiver Donna Dunham. Her companionship and tender loving care was Gerald’s mainstay the last three years. Visitation is 11:00am -12:30am on Thursday, June 29, 2011.The funeral service will begin at 12:30pm with a reception immediately following at Restland Funeral Home, 9220 Restland Road, Dallas, Texas 75243.
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