Bellville Times

 A memorial service for Margaret Koy Kistler will be held at 3 p.m., Thursday
February 28 at St. Maryıs Episcopal Church, 24 N. Masonic in Bellville.
Kistler, a Bellville native, and recognized as the first female sportswriter
in Texas, passed away on February 22.
Margaret Koy Kistler was born August 14, 1944 to Ernie and Jane Koy in
Bellville, Texas.  She graduated from Bellville High School in 1962, earned
her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Texas at Austin in
1967, and a Masters degree from Texas Tech University in 1975.  On December
25th, 1971, she was united in marriage to Clay Kistler in St. Maryıs
Episcopal Church in Bellville.
Kistler began covering Bellville High School athletics for the Bellville
Times at the age of 15.  Her journalism career continued with The Daily
Texan and The Abilene Reporter-News.  She is credited with breaking the
gender barrier of the press box, and has been honored and recognized as the
first female sportswriter in the state of Texas.
Following her stint in sports writing, Kistler served in the Capitol Bureau
of the Dallas Morning News covering Texas State government in 1969.  The
following session she joined the staff of Gus F. Mutscher, the Speaker of
The House of Representatives as his Press Aid.  She then worked at The
Temple Daily Telegram as the Fort Hood Bureau Chief covering the wind down
of the Viet Nam War.  After receiving her Masters degree from Texas Tech,
Kistler moved to Denton where she joined the University of North Texas as
the Assistant Director of the Texas County Inventory Project.  In 1980
Kistler and her family moved and would spend the next ten years overseas in
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Mmabatho, South Africa before returning to the
United States.
One of Kistlerıs great passions was Bellville.  She had always been active
in the community, but never more than when she returned with her family in
1993 after an absence of thirty years.  She returned to her roots writing
for the Bellville Times from 1993-1995, when she left to open The Kistler
Company, LLC with her husband, Clay.  She was an active member in the
Bellville Brahma Booster Club and served as a board member.  She was asked
to assist with the Hall of Honor program and served as an ex-officio
historian and later as President.   Kistler was equally active in St. Maryıs
Episcopal Church where she was baptized, confirmed, and married.  She served
as a Vestry member, Senior Warden, and Foundation Board member.  Kistler was
elected to the Bellville City Council in 2006.  She had just completed her
first term and had registered for re-election.  She was currently serving as
Mayor Pro-Tempore.
She is survived by her husband of 37 years Clay Kistler; son Daniel Koy
Kistler of Houston; mother Jane Cameron Koy of Bellville; brother Ernie M.
Koy and wife Barbara of Bellville and Dr. Ted Koy and wife Valerie of
Georgetown.  Her nephews and nieces are Robert Cameron Koy and wife Barbie
of Houston, and their son Wyatt; Lt. Andrew Bruen Koy of Annapolis, MD and
his children, Buck and Catie; Jane Lucille Koy of Round Rock; Jess York Koy
of Houston; Suzanne Koy Skaer and husband Jason of The Woodlands; Caroline
Koy Gorman and husband Scott of San Antonio and their daughters Abigail and
Emily, and father-in-law, Al Kistler of San Antonio.
A scholarship has been established with Austin County University of Texas
Ex-Students Association in her memory.  Tributes and gifts may be made to
the Margaret Koy Kistler Scholarship Fund, Austin County Texas Exes, Wells
Fargo Bank, c/o Ernie Koy, 2 East Main St., Bellville, TX 77418.
Funeral arrangements were under the direction of the Schmidt Funeral Home,
P.O. Box 610, 12029 Hwy. 36 South, Bellville, TX 77418.

Posted by Joy Neely