David Charles Fiebrich

David Charles Fiebrich, born on October 26, 1938, in Rockne, Texas, passed away peacefully on Thursday, May 29, 2025. He was the beloved second of three children to Fred and Paula, and brother to Fred Jr. and Jim. Growing up on the family farm gave David a great love of nature and a tireless work ethic. He always had a project going, and he found joy working the land and caring for any animal– from cattle, hogs, horses, chickens, rabbits, pigeons, and even doves. He fondly recalled milking six cows every morning and night as a child. Although he loved gardening and many times grew enough vegetables to feed the neighborhood, he vowed to find a career where he never had to pick cotton again.

After graduating from Sacred Heart Catholic School in Rockne, David joined the Texas Highway Department, where he dedicated 36 years to building roads and bridges across Bastrop, Lee, Caldwell, Williamson, and Travis Counties. His work included big projects such as MoPac and I-35, before retirement in 1993. Never turning down a road trip, you couldn’t ride with him from point A to B without hearing a story about how each road or bridge was made.

David met the love of his life, Elberta Fohn, at the dances in Rockne, and they were married on January 9, 1960. Together, they shared 65 wonderful years filled with love, laughter, and family. David loved to slow dance to John Conlee with ‘Momma’ every chance he got.

Only after their fifth child was on the way, did they decide to move out of their two-bedroom house on Garfield Street in Bastrop, across the river, and build a bigger home with a backyard large enough for a vegetable garden and a front yard with flower beds for Elberta to fill with geraniums.

David was known for his gift of storytelling, entertaining his friends and family with tales from his life and adventures. His stories often had us doubled-over with laughter and smiles. If David had his way, he’d always be outdoors. He loved hunting with his beagle dog Abigail, and he never missed an opening weekend at the family ranch in Hondo. He fished every body of water from his own farm pond to all the rivers, lakes, and bays from the Highland Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. He kept his dermatologist busy from the many decades he played and worked long, hard days in the sun.

After retirement, David loved to work out on his home place in Rockne, spraying mesquite, outsmarting gophers, raising a handful of cattle, and transforming his small plot of land into a piece of heaven for the family, with a nice pond to feed his fish and a tank dam full of bluebonnets. He even made a side hustle cutting hay for Pat Meuth. In his final years, he treasured his trips to Rockne with his son Jeff to check on his land – though it was Jeff doing the work, David made sure to supervise with great enthusiasm. At home David focused on his pecan trees. He could always be found sitting in the garage shelling pecans and battling squirrels that little by little tried to steal his treasures. When too hot to do that, he loved to read John Grisham, work crossword puzzles and watch Wheel of Fortune.

A devoted Catholic, David recited the Holy Rosary daily, a source of comfort, strength and hope for all who knew him. A volunteer of his community, he served with the String Prairie/Rockne Knights of Columbus, was a director of Hochheim Prairie Insurance, and played a key role in Bastrop church festivals as the Chief Meat Cutter. He delivered Meals on Wheels, volunteered with the Ascension Parish Ladies of Charity, and served as both a lector and usher at Ascension Catholic Church.

David will be most remembered for his kind heart, tight hugs, dedication to his friends, and the love he had for his family. He was so proud of the accomplishments of his children and grandchildren. Though he lived simply and spent wisely, David and Elberta, “Popo and Granny,” never thought twice about spoiling their big family with the “annual Fiebrich Vacay”. For more than 20 years, these reunion trips became treasured traditions that brought his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren closer together.

He is survived by his wife Elberta of Bastrop; his five children: Jeff and wife Christian of Bastrop, Dianna and husband Bruce of Bastrop, Tim and wife Sabrina of Needville, Greg and fiancée Diana of Georgetown, and Chris and wife Wendy of Norman; as well as 11 grandchildren: Caitlyn, husband Andrew; Alyssa, husband Eric; Ashlyn, husband Taylor; Alec, wife Cheyenne; Tyler, wife Ashley; Kaedra; Loren, husband Ryan; Mason, Nathan, Nicholas, and Macy; and 8 great-grandchildren: Hayes, Graham, Sonny, Jovie, Wade, Rory, Cora, and Knox; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Fred and Paula, stepfather Emmett Hendrix, his brothers Fred Jr. (sister-in-law Burnell) and Jim (sister-in-law Isabel) and daughter-in-law Stacie.

The family wishes to express their sincere appreciation to the Dobbs family (Barry, Leane, and Chloe) for their neighborly love and support. They are also deeply grateful to the dedicated staff at Towers Nursing Home and Aspen Hospice for their exceptional care and compassion.

Visitation will be held on Monday, June 2nd, at Bastrop Providence Funeral Home, from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm with Rosary following at 7:00 pm. Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 am, Tuesday, June 3rd, at Ascension Catholic Church in Bastrop; interment following services at Sacred Heart Catholic Church cemetery in Rockne. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Bastrop Ladies of Charity or the charity of your choice.