Ray La Fuente

HAR extends condolences to family, friends and colleagues of longtime real estate professional Ray La Fuente, 74, who died June 25, 2024. He was an award-winning agent at RE/MAX for more than 39 years.

Born and raised in Austin, Texas, to Felicita Vela La Fuente and Henry La Fuente. In his twenties, Ray moved to Houston and took management and design engineering courses at the local community college and the University of Houston. It was during this time that he met and married Araceli “Sally” Leal, his devoted wife of 52 years. They were blessed with three daughters.

Ray transitioned from engineering into the real estate industry to gain more ownership of his time, where he quickly found a fulfilling career lasting 46 years. At RE/MAX Professionals, he quickly rose through the ranks as a top agent. He won local, state, national and international recognition and awards. From 1983 – 1989, he proudly co-founded West Houston Professional Group.

In 1999, his career reached new heights when he mentored his daughter, Monica La Fuente Fisher, in the real estate industry that he loved. This marked the beginning of their renowned 25-year Father-Daughter RE/MAX team. His life’s career work resulted in earning the RE/MAX Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016. Ray dedicated 45 years of service to Harris County.

Ray is preceded in death by his mother Felicia Vela La Fuente and his father Henry La Fuente. He is survived by his beloved wife, Araceli “Sally” La Fuente; three daughters Jaime Garcia (Joe), Monica Fisher (Jeff) and Michelle Thomas (Aaron); six grandchildren Joslynn Garcia, Jaylan Garcia, Trenton Fisher, Robin “Ellie” Thomas, Anderson “Gage” Fisher, and Julia Thomas; siblings Henry La Fuente, David La Fuente and Julie Perez (Joey).

A funeral service was held on July 9, 2024 at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church. You may read his full obituary HERE.

Marie E. Dierks

HAR extends condolences to family, friends and colleagues of longtime member Marie Dierks, 93, who died on June 26, 2024. Marie worked for Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate before retiring when she was 85 years old.

Marie was born on October 17, 1930, in Bellevue, Iowa at the family farm. She was the second daughter and third child of James C. and Catherine C. (Entringer) Dunne.

Marie was an accomplished and passionate real estate agent. She was first licensed in 1979 in New Hampshire before moving to Texas in 1983. She attended two years of business school in Dubuque and later received her Graduate, REALTOR® Institute (GRI) and Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) designations.

At the peak of her career, Marie was recognized as the No. 1 real estate agent at Coldwell Banker either regionally or at the state level during a five-year period spanning 1991 to 1995. She worked at Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate before retiring at 85.

She was united in marriage to her loving husband Robert O. Dierks on July 20, 1959. They resided in Iowa before work brought them to Kansas, New Hampshire and Spring, Texas, where they lived together the longest.

Marie is survived by her husband Robert; sons Stephen and Michael; daughters-in-laws Leslie and Suein Hwang and grandchildren Henning, Graeme, Kaya and Kian.

A funeral service was held on July 6, 2024 at St. Joseph Key West Church. You may read her full obituary HERE.

David H. Young

HAR extends condolences to family, friends and colleagues of longtime HAR member David H. Young, 88, who died on July 13, 2024. He was a REALTOR® in Houston for more than 30 years.

“Dave” Young was born in Ottumwa, Iowa on November 4, 1935, to Freddie and Elsie Young. From an early age Dave was determined to make something of himself and was a glowing example of how hard work and determination can take someone from a meager start in a small town to business success in the big city. Dave attended Iowa State University, where he played basketball and became President of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, while obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. His 27-year marriage to Meredith Marie Osburn and they had four children. He served two years in the US Army before taking a job as an engineer with Allen Bradley, but he found that he preferred technical sales to actual engineering. He then found success in sales with several companies before starting True Distance Inc, a specialty marketing business focused on the golf industry, where he had 18 successful years before technology and competition transformed that business.

Dave’s greatest accomplishment came when he redefined himself at the age of 55 as a real estate agent. Dave would go on to be one of the most successful and well-respected real estate brokers in Houston. After five years of recognition as the No. 1 selling agent in Houston, Dave launched the highly successful David Young Team as part of Coldwell Banker United REALTORS®. The David Young Team was consistently a top five producing real estate team in Houston. Dave was very confident and charismatic, and his clients and team members had great confidence in his ability. Dave was a loving father that was always providing advice and the value of hard work to his children and grandchildren.

Dave is survived by his daughter, Lisa and her children Lily, Raven and Sophia; his son, David and his wife Brenda and their granddaughter Harper; his son, Stephen and his wife Melissa and their children Holden, Faith and Garrett; his son, Mark and his wife Rachel and their children Abigail, Caleb and Ethan; his wife of 10 years, Carol Peyton Young, her daughter Amanda and grandsons Jackson and Teddie. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

Services will be held August 10, 2024 at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to Tunnel to Towers Foundation in Dave’s memory. You may read his full obituary HERE.

Member obituaries and visitation/funeral arrangements for posting on HAR’s Members Only Portal and in the Houston REALTOR® may be sent to Brittany Aucion at brittany.aucion@har.com.