OBITUARY: Jesse J. Priest Jr., 84, of Midland dies May 10, 2014
Jesse J. Priest Jr., 84, of Midland passed away May 10, 2014, at home.
The family will receive friends 6-8 p.m. May 13 at Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home in Midland. A memorial service is 1 p.m. May 14 at the funeral home with Mark Dettman as celebrant.
A local memorial service is 3 p.m. May 17 at Clements-Wilcox Funeral Home, 306 Texas 29 East in Burnet, (512) 756-2222. A private inurnment will follow at Post Mountain Cemetery in Burnet.
Jesse was born Sept. 18, 1929, to Jesse Sr. and Bruxie Priest in Briggs. He attended and graduated Bertram High School.
He served in the U.S. Navy from January 1947 to December 1948. After serving in the Navy, Jesse started a career in professional baseball in Sweetwater in 1949. In 1951, he went to the Albuquerque Dukes, where he set the still-standing record of 17 straight wins and he and Barbara were married at home plate in Tingley Field in July 1952. He later played for Shreveport (La.), Augusta (Ga.) and Temple (Texas) in 1953 and ended up in Midland playing for the Indians in 1955.
Moving to Lubbock, Jesse began his career with the Texas Department of Public Safety, serving in Canyon, Haskell and Graham. After joining the Texas Rangers Company “C” in 1969, he moved his family to Wichita Falls. He received the Kiwanis Club Officer of the Year award in 1975. He was promoted to Texas Ranger sergeant and moved to Midland in May 1975. He served as Texas Ranger Company “E” sergeant until retirement in 1979.
After retirement, he worked as a ranch foreman in Ranger, corporate security for Clayton W. Williams, investigator for the Midland County Attorney’s Office and court security with the U.S. Marshals Service. He was inducted into the Albuquerque Baseball Hall of Fame in July 2009.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Jesse Sr. and Bruxie Priest; sisters, Leota, Lela, Romel and Janette; and brothers, Linton, Lathel, Joel, Noel and Ray.
He is survived by his wife, Barbara; daughter, Niki Speicher and her sons Jesse Speicher and Nick Griffin with his wife Rene and son Gabriel; son, Rick Priest with his wife Tana and daughter Lauren; and many beloved cousins, nieces and nephews.
Go to www.npwelch.com to offer condolences.