John Weir Notestine

John Weir Notestine
John Weir Notestine

John Weir Notestine died at home on Monday, March 15, 2021.  He was born February 27, 1933 in Big Spring, Texas to Virginia (Barnett) and Edmund Notestine.  The family moved to Amarillo, Texas in 1943.  He graduated from Amarillo High and went on to the University of Texas where in 1956 he earned a degree in Architecture.   While at The University, he was a member of Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity, lived in the fraternity house for three years and continued to be an active part of the fraternity alumni.  He married his high school sweetheart, Helen Gail Stephenson on June 25, 1954 while still at The University.  John worked for the Texas State Department of Transportation in the construction department while attending college.  He and Gail had their first child, Ann Patrice in 1955.  The family stayed in Austin after graduation where John worked for Lundgren and Maurer, Architects until 1958.

The family moved back to Amarillo in 1958 where they had their second child, John Phillip.  In Amarillo, he worked for Short and Boren, Architects until 1962.  John’s first project with Short and Boren was the new Texas Highway Department buildings on Canyon Drive in Amarillo.  He won the project for Short and Boren because of his previous experience working for the Texas Department of Transportation in Austin.  In 1962, John and Gail had their third child, Nancy Leigh.  Around the same time, he and Terrance Doane started their own practice, Doane & Notestine, Architects.  Later, Frank Jones joined the firm and it became Doane, Notestine & Jones, eventually becoming Jones & Notestine.  John opened his own practice as John Notestine, Architect AIA in 1976 and continued to practice until 1999 when he closed his practice.  John continued to work doing construction inspection for West Texas State University and later Texas A&M University at WTAMU.  He did inspections on 12 major projects and several re-modeling’s at West Texas A&M University in Canyon until he retired in 2015.

During John’s long career as a commercial architect, he designed various shopping centers, grocery stores, schools and churches around Amarillo and the surrounding area, New Mexico, Arizona and the southwest part of the United States.  Among them are buildings at Pantex Plant, One Security Park Office complex, St, Andrews Day School, First Christian-Science Church and several Furr’s Food Grocery Stores.

He was a lifelong member of the Episcopal Church, starting as an acolyte for Bishop George Quarterman where they became friends that afforded him various architectural opportunities.  He was a founding member of Amarillo West Rotary Club and was an active member for more than 63 years, achieving perfect attendance for 45 of those years.  He served on the Amarillo Planning and Zoning Commission for four years from 2006 to 2010.  He loved quail hunting and trout fishing.

John is survived by his wife Gail, daughter Ann and husband Jerry Greenfield of McAllen, son Phil of Amarillo and daughter Nancy and husband Chris Harmon of Arlington.  He and Gail have four grandchildren, Morgan Greenfield, Ryan Greenfield, Jonathan Harmon, Gracy Harmon; three greatgrandchildren with one on the way and numerous other nieces and nephews.  Preceding him in death were his parents and brother Edmund.

Visitation will be 6-7 pm, Thursday evening, March 18, 2021, at Boxwell Brothers Funeral Home, 2800 Paramount Blvd.  Services will be at 2 pm, Friday, March 19, 2021, at Boxwell Brothers Ivy Chapel.  Burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the John Phillip Notestine Scholarship, at West Texas A&M, P.O. Box 60766, Canyon TX, 79015; or Amarillo West Rotary Club, 1401 S Polk Street Amarillo, TX 79105.

Please use this link to live-stream the service on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BoxwellBrothersFuneralDirectors/live/

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