Kyle D. Kiefling 72 of Gatesville, TX, formerly of Cowden, IL, passed away at 5:48 PM Thursday July 2, 2009 in Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center in Waco, TX.

Kyle was born June 26, 1937 at Cowden, IL the son of Lawrence D. and Dorothy Maurine Pettyjohn Kiefling.

He married Leota Sarver May 27, 1960 at Cowden.

Kyle served in the United States Air Force for four years where he learned to be an air traffic controller. He worked as an air traffic controller for the Federal Aviation Administration from 1960-1994 when he retired. Seven times the tower that he managed was chosen as the Regional Tower of the year by the F.A.A. and one time his tower was chosen as the National Tower of the Year. After he retired, he then went back to work and became a controller for the State of Texas in Waco from 1994-2002.

He attended the United Methodist Church and was a member of the Waterford, MI Lions Club. Kyle held a pilots license and loved gardening, hunting and fishing, and especially enjoyed working on his farm near Cowden.

Surviving are his wife Leota; daughter Kendall Butler and husband Richard of Gatesville; son Wyatt Kyle Kiefling and wife Karen of Waterford, MI; grandchildren: Elizabeth, Shaun, Anthony, Connor, Dylan, Jack, Jacob and Jared; great grandchildren: Zachary and Olivia; brothers: Larry Kiefling and wife Helen of Albuquerque, NM and Roger Kiefling and wife Jeanie of Lakewood, IL.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM Wednesday July 8, 2009 in Lockart-Green Funeral Home in Cowden. Rev. Wayne Mollohan will officiate. Visitation will be from 6:00-8:00 PM Tuesday at the funeral Home. Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery near Cowden. Flag presentation will be made by the Shelby County Honor Guard. Memorials can be made to the American Cancer Society. On line condolences may be directed to the family at www.lockartgreenfuneralhome.com