Allen Pfister

"Life After Destrehan"

I retired from Central Texas Electric in October of 2007.  I continue to work on improving and maintaining our home and ranches but still find time for our kids, grandson, friends, hunting and fishing, although I would now rather "watch" the wildlife than kill it.  Patty is about to dance my legs off as we go dancing at least twice a week, but it keeps us moving and is a lot of fun.  Life is good!

Patty and I look forward to seeing everyone at the 50th Reunion.

2002 Biography

After graduation in 1962, Joe Ferraro and I joined the U.S. Army.  We were sent to Fort Polk for 12 weeks of basic training and were then assigned to the A Battery Nike Missile Base in Austin, Texas that guarded Bergstrom Air Force Base.  It was in Austin, Texas that I met my wife of almost 38 years, Patricia Ann (Patty) Schneider where she was attending college.  We married on July 4, 1964 and have three daughters, Sherie Denise, Darla Day, and Kristy Lynn, three son-in-laws and one 7-year old grandson, Austin Joseph (little A.J.) that is the joy of our life.

In 1965 after my term in the Army was finished I went to work for Superior Dairies in Austin, Texas while I looked for a more suitable job.  The pay was OK, but the hours were long and Patty and I wanted to get out of the City.  At that time we had only one small child and knew if we were going to make a move that would be the time.  In 1966 I got a job as a lineman at Central Texas Electric Cooperative and we moved to my wife’s hometown of Llano, Texas where we have lived ever since.  We bought our home in 1972 and just like everyone else we know, we have been adding on and remodeling ever since.

In 1972 Patty opened the Sears Catalog and Appliance Store in Llano which she owned for the next 25 years.  Along with my job and our three young daughters this kept us both very busy.  Even though we worked very hard, we had a lot of fun too.  We enjoyed time with friends and family, weekends at the ranch, and we went dancing nearly every Saturday night at the “Ramblin Rose” in Llano.  During the winter months Patty and I would often go home after the dance, change clothes and go coon hunting until morning.  Coons were bringing $25 apiece and it was common to get ten to fifteen in one night, and back then that was darn good money – actually it still is today, and that’s the money we would use to “play” on.  Ever since I was a small boy I have lived to hunt and fish, so I have always found time to work in a deer, wild hog, turkey, or dove hunt or go fishing at the ranch on the Llano River.

As my father-in-law’s health deteriorated, my mother-in-law was not able to tend the cattle and I eventually took on the care of their three ranches scattered around Llano County.  Patty’s family came from Germany in 1845 and settled on the Llano River  and have ranched the land ever since.  My father-in-law was considered one of the best “cowboys” in Llano County and I learned things about ranching and cattle that I never even knew existed.  It was quite a change for the “cool cat” that I thought I was bopping around Norco on my motorcycle.  Many times when I have had cow dunk all over me from delivering a calf, I wondered what my friends from home would think if they could see me now.

In 1993 Sears closed all of the Catalog and Appliance stores all over the U.S. and Patty got into politics.  She served two terms on the City Council and our phone rang day and night for 6 years, and since everyone knows her and vice versa, everywhere we went we had to hear about potholes, water leaks, and Llano politics even to this day.  That has also been quite an experience.

Now our daughters are all grown and married and if our daughter, husband, and grandson are not at our house, Patty is keeping the road hot between Llano and Austin, Texas transporting our little grandson back and forth.

I am a “Technical Operations Specialist lV” and I just received my 35-year award from Central Texas Electric Coop, and I hope to be retired before I receive the 40-year award. 

Patty and I have plans to build a house out in the country overlooking the River but right now with all the uncertainty, we are waiting to see what the economy is going to do.

We still go dancing and even coon hunting once in a while, and as long as I can breath I will hunt and fish, but we find that time is even more scarce now than it was when we were younger.  Either the days are getting much shorter, or we are getting much slower.  Actually we are pretty content just to go to the ranch and lounge around or get some beer and play cards with our daughters and son-in-laws, or even play monopoly with our little grandson.  Someone said that was a sign of getting old.  Surely not!!!!

1993 biography

I have been with Central Texas Electric Cooperative in Llano for the past 27 years.  I am a lineman/service foreman.  My wife here and I also own ranch property and raise cattle.  We lease out the hunting rights during deer season.  November 7th begins the hunting season in Llano and I have all three ranches leased out, so I will have to be here the first weekend for sure.  Also, my wife, Patricia, has owned the Sears Catalog and Appliance store in Llano for the past 22 years and from the middle of November to Christmas is her busiest season.  We both have very reliable and dependable employees and we will make every effort to come whichever date is selected what is suitable for the majority.