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Former Dist. 4 Texas Farm Bureau State Director Daniel (Dan) Pustejovsky, 79, of Hillsboro died Oct. 9 at his home
with his family at his bedside, following a courageous battle with colon cancer. Mass of Christian burial was celebrated
Oct. 12 at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church in Hillsboro. Burial was at Our Lady of Fatima Cemetery in Abbott.
Pustejovsky, a true cotton and Integrated Pest Management pioneer, was presented the Texas Farm Bureau's Meritorious Service Award at the organization's 70th annual convention in San Antonio in 2003. Pustejovsky was recognized for his pioneering work in Farm Bureau and as one of the early developers of fold-up, eight-row cotton equipment. He was one of only 22 recipients of the award in the TFB's seven-decade history. The Meritorious Service Award is the highest honor presented by the farm organization.
The Hill County icon was also a TFB Farm Pioneer Award winner in 1994, an honor bestowed upon him by his peers for helping establish the Hill County Farm Bureau in 1951. Pustejovsky was the local FB's seventh member. Over the years, he served as president, vice president and secretary of the Hill CFB. He represented Farm Bureau's District 4 on the Texas Farm Bureau Board of Directors, during which time he led the move for limitation of terms for TFB board members and helped organize commodity divisions. In 1990, Pustejovsky was one of TFB's "six-pack" candidates who ran in the Democratic Primary against former Texas Agricultural Commissioner Jim Hightower.
Pustejovsky and his wife, Flo Marie were the parents of 10 children, two of which preceded him in death; 24 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; three sisters, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be made to the Religious Education Department of Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, P. O. Box 567, Hillsboro, TX 76645.
