Alan John "Al or Skip" Poling

Alan John Poling, middle child of the late John Abraham Poling and Mildred Marie Hinterer Poling, was born March 20, 1954, in Clarksburg, Harrison County, West Virginia. He went to meet his Lord and Savior on July 24, 2025, at his home in Houston, Harris County, Texas. He was known as Al and his family knew him as Skip, shortened from Skipper due to his dad serving in the Navy. The beautiful memories and love remain for his wife, Mary Frances Stewart Poling.

Al lived with his maternal grandparents on the family farm in West Virginia during early childhood, where he learned to gather eggs, slop hogs, care for newborn lambs, and how to drive a tractor. Al's grandpa taught Al at age nine to drive a tractor; but he told him not to tell his mother. Al followed the instructions: pushing down on the clutch, putting it in gear, then letting out the clutch. This lifted the front of the tractor off the ground, so he immediately pushed back down on the clutch. His grandpa clarified that the clutch had to be released slowly. Grandpa had two tractors; he drove one and Al the other. The economy was changing from an agricultural to a manufacturing economy, and after World War II there were not enough workers in the fields. "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few." (Matthew 9:37). That is how Al became a tractor man. Every summer at the farm, he enjoyed keeping the fields and hills clear with the tractor. Al designed and oversaw building the cabin on the same farm that "built" him, completed in 2000. The farm continued to be a place of work, hunting, and his and Mary's summer retreat.

Al sold Christmas cards in his youth, and at age 11, Al got a newspaper route. He rolled the papers, put them in his bicycle basket and threw them on the porch of customers. Once a month, he would try to collect the fees owed. When Al turned 16, he worked as a bagger at the local grocery store. He bought his first car for $150, a 1963 Chevy Corvair. He wrecked it one night when he was blinded by lights from a car coming in the opposite direction on a hill. He sold it with damages for $125. He then bought a Chevy Bel Air and thought it was quite different when his father wanted to borrow the car from his son. Al graduated from the 1972 class of Marietta High School, Marietta, Ohio. Al's first summer out of college, he sold hardware at the Hart's Department Store. During the other breaks from college, Al worked as an engineering draftsman for Dravo Corporation, Marietta, Ohio, for power plant piping systems drafting. Al was good at math and science, and the guidance counselor told him that he would be good as an engineer or teacher, and he did both. At Fairmont State College (now University), Al received degrees of Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering technology, an Associate in Science in civil engineering technology, and a Bachelor of Arts in industrial education, specializing in drafting and metals. At West Virginia University, Al earned a Master of Arts in technology education, specializing in production, and 29 semester hours credit in Engineering. Certifications received by Al include Engineer in Training from Society of Professional Engineers, Certified Maintenance and Reliability Professional from SMRP, Certified Energy Manager from Association of Energy Engineers, and Certified RCA Facilitator from Apollo. Through the Flourish Institute of Theology, Al completed his Master of Arts degree in 2024. He also became a Commissioned Lay Pastor through ECO Flourish/Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary.

Al's career began as a vocational education teacher at Wahama High School, in Mason, W. Va. He taught a mandatory class for all eighth graders in career education. In Mason County, Al met the love of his life and future bride, Mary Frances Stewart. After two years of teaching at this level, his former professor in Fairmont invited Al to return as an instructor in the technology division at Fairmont State College/University. He pursued further education in engineering when his students were making twice the income of a teacher. He studied passive solar design and taught energy-efficient home design through the Academy for Lifelong Learning program at Lone Star College, and at other senior community facilities in Texas. Al loved learning, teaching, and sharing his knowledge and experiences.

Al was baptized and raised a Lutheran. He and Mary married on July 14, 1979, at St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. They became Presbyterians in 1980 and joined First Presbyterian Church of Kingwood, Texas, in 2007.

Al and Mary started their life together in West Virginia and made new homes twice in Ohio, South Carolina, Louisiana, and Texas. Al's work career brought about these moves. He worked as an engineer and manager for Rhone Poulenc/Union Carbide, SCM Chemicals, Albemarle/Ethyl Corporation, KRATON Polymers/Shell Chemical, STARCON International, SMRP (Society for Maintenance and Reliability Professionals), Solomon Associates, and his own business RAM Analytics, LLC-a technical consulting company. He retired when he developed life-threatening pancreatitis in February 2019.

Al was a professional educator, and had exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, and was a gifted writer. He has published over twenty white papers on reliability, maintenance, and related topics, and has published many articles. Al was a professional speaker for societies and conferences all over the world. He has delivered sermons at First Presbyterian Church of Kingwood, the Pioneer Mission Community in Brenham, Tex., and the St. Johannes Evangelical Lutheran Church in St. Clara, W. Va.

Al served as an altar boy in his youth, and as an adult has served as deacon and elder. Al taught evangelism to adult and youth classes. He was a member of the retired men's Bible study group and other week-night studies. Al led a large church renovation project until his health needed more attention. He served communion, visited with the homebound, and engaged in activities for the youth. He was part of a mission trip to Honduras for clean water with the Living Water Project. He helped support other mission projects through the church. Al was a kind, humble, generous soul that believed in being a good neighbor and the golden rule of Matthew 7:12. He was gifted in evangelism and discipleship and loved sharing his faith. He has had many conversations about the love of God with family, friends, and those the Lord brought into his path during his life, and times of illness.

Along with Al's worldly travels for business; Al and Mary visited England, Scotland, Australia, France, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, Canada, Mexico, Honduras and those places as part of the Western Caribbean Cruise, and Israel. They have traveled most of the United States with Alaska being the favorite. The last trip there was in 2021 with Al being the only guy with five female companions, two with scooters and one with a cane/walker. Al drove on a 28 day cross-country southwest trip, a 49 day cross-country northwest trip that included Canada, and a 44 day trip from Texas to Alaska and into Canada on the Alaskan highway. Al and Mary went on two Alaskan cruises and flew in to see the aurora borealis. Al was the family cruise director and had all the details laid out on a spread sheet. He was a planner and organizer. He also drove the two-way trip to spend time in W. Va. during the summer and again in November.

He enjoyed playing golf until he was spending more time at the chiropractor than on the course. Al was also hit with a couple of golf balls, once while at the Masters Tournament with a golf ball belonging to Ben Crenshaw. Al still enjoyed the game by watching on TV. Al was teased about not making a hole-in-one since family members had; even his nephew accomplished the task by using Al's golf club. As a hunter, Al traveled for hunts in TX, CO, NM, ID, OR, AK, WV, and Canada. The cabin holds some of the trophies. He had been collecting points for a draw, and with 23 points finally received that wish for a mule deer tag in CO. His plans for that trip this November was not God's plan. Al liked to hike, and he and his brother-in-law were hiking sections of the Rails to Trails in W. Va. Al liked playing the family card game passed down through the generations called Setback. He would also play Shanghai Rummy for Mary's enjoyment. Al liked to read and always had a book with him when going to appointments. Al was aware of local and worldly news, and could give Mary an update on what was happening each day. Al enjoyed cooking and grocery shopping. Al let Mary know how much she was appreciated and loved. Al took care of the birds in W. Va. and at home by supplying them with food. Al would help prepare for the family reunion with Mary's family each year, and they loved him as a dear brother. He enjoyed the Poling and Hinterer cousins coming to the cabin, catching up on life events and stories from the past. Al enjoyed being at the cabin and marveling at God's creation.

Al received many comments on his beautiful blue eyes and contagious smile. People noticed his and Mary's hand holding and shared love. Al was a well-mannered and considerate man with high standards of proper behavior, the definition for a true gentleman. Al was thankful for the bountiful blessings that God granted to him in his earthly life, and continued talking to Him to the end. He wanted us to remember his love for the Lord. His friends remember Al persevering in his faith despite pain and suffering: with Paul, he can say, "I have fought the good fight; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith" (2 Tim 4:7).

Al is preceded along with his parents and stillborn son:

Grandparents: Albert and Laura Gray Hinterer and Daniel and Rosa Simon Poling;

In-laws James and Jennie Siders Stewart;

Brothers-in-law: Infant James, James M., Charles, & Robert Stewart, Raymond Pulver, and Billy Blankenship;

Sisters-in-law: Infant Mollie Stewart, Ruth "Sue" Stewart Mosley Blankenship, and Donna Pulver;

Nephew-in-law Donald Mosley.

Along with Al's wife other survivors include:

Sister and her family: Barbara and husband Lee Peterson, Jennifer (Scott) Brodie and Alexis & Michael, Matthew Meglio and sons Grant & Eli;

Brother David and his wife Alice;

Sister-in-law and her family: Ellen and husband Willie Jordan, Nancy (Bo) Osborne, Jessica (Billy) Bryant and Hunter, Keira & Braydon, Jordan (Kayleigh) Jordan;

Nephews: Michael (Christina) Stewart and Cooper, Raylee & Lincoln; C. R. Stewart and his daughter Beondra (Ethan) Tanner & expecting Baby Warren, and son Dason Stewart; Wayne (Marlene) Mosley; James (Lumina) Mosley and daughter Catinca; and Scott and Brian Pulver;

Nieces: Amber (Sarah) Hill and Jayden, Kendall & Sabastian, & Ashleigh Stewart and Malaka & Macee; Karen Mosley and daughter Amanda; Val Mosley and daughters LaTawny, LaToya, & LaTisha; Thresa Lee and daughters Monica & Michele. Al is also survived by many relatives, friends and church family.

A Memorial Service will be held on August 23, 2025, at 10 AM, at First Presbyterian Church of Kingwood, 5520 Kingwood Dr., Kingwood, TX 77345, 281-360-5555.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the family farm in West Virginia at a later date.

In Lieu of flowers, donations can be made "In Memory of Alan J. Poling" with his home address to: charity of your choice, First Presbyterian Church of Kingwood (firstpreskingwood.org), National Pancreas Foundation (nationalpancreasfoundations.org, 866-726-2737), or Lupus Foundation of America, Lone Star Chapter (lupus.org