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Ray Knott
Funeral services for Ray Knott, 59, of Nacogdoches, were held July 15 at Laird-McGill Funeral Home in Nacogdoches with Rev. Don Forrester officiating. Burial followed in Sunset Memorial Park.
Mr. Knott died July 12, 2003 in Nacogdoches. He was born march 30, 1944 in Olney, Ill., to Nadine Magers and William Knott Sr. He was a purchasing agent for Foretravel for over 25 years, a Mason and Baptist by faith.
He was preceded in death by his father and a sister, Martha Knott Blair.
Survivors include his wife, Carolyn Schroeder Knott of Nacogdoches; mother, Nadine Knott of Odessa; son and daughter-in-law Jay and Brenna Knott and daughter Regina Knott of Nacogdoches; sisters and brother-in-law Barbara and Harlan Speidel of Wharton, Betty Knott of Odessa; and two grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association or American Lung Association.
Eddie Batties
Funeral services for Eddie Batties Sr., 66, of Wharton will be held at 2 p.m. today, Saturday, at Mt. Scilla Baptist Church with Rev. Carl Spradley officiating. Burial will follow in Roberts Cemetery.
Mr. Batties died Sept. 4, 2003 at Wharton Manor Nursing Home. He was born Oct. 5, 1936, in Wharton to Manner and Emma Roberts Batties.
Survivors include wife, Almeda Bailey Batties of Wharton; son, Eddie Batties Jr. of West Columbia; daughter, Wendy Batties of Wharton; brother, Rev. Robert Roberts of Wharton; sister, Ora White of Wharton; and three grandchildren.
Contact Gooden-Hatton Funeral Home
Horace Hill
Horace “Boots” Hill, age 81, of Wharton, died Monday Sept. 8, 2003, in a hospital in Eagle Lake. He was born on Jan. 19, 1922, in Thompsonville, the son of the late Alexander Chester Hill and Eda Zitelmann Hill.
Mr. Hill was a veteran of World War II. He served in the U.S. Army in the 10th Mountain Division and received a Bronze Star and Purple Heart for his service. Mr. Hill married Ruby P. Blackerby on Aug. 2, 1941, in Smiley. He worked as a salesman at Sunbeam Bakery for 33 years prior to retiring in 1981. Mr. Hill was a resident of Wharton since 1942 and was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church. He was a member of Wharton American Legion Post No. 87 and a former member of the Brotherhood of St. Paul Lutheran Church. Mr. Hill loved watching baseball, gardening and working in his yard.
Funeral services were held at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 11, 2003, in the chapel of Wharton Funeral Home with Rev. Paul Kersten officiating. Interment followed in Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery with military honors provided by American Legion Post No. 87.
Survivors include his wife, Ruby Hill of Wharton; daughter, Sandy Hill LeBouef and husband, Les, of Sheridan; son, Randy Lynn Hill and wife, Shallee, of El Campo; sisters, Dora Bernstein of Wharton and Margy Hedrick of Goliad; brothers, Jack Hill of Watonga, Okla., and D.H. Hill of Wichita Falls; grandchildren, Steven LeBouef and wife, Denise, Charly LeBouef, Kristie Smith and husband, Billy, Keri Klimple and Wyatt Shanks and great-grandchildren, Dylan LeBouef and Payton LeBouef. He was preceded in death by sisters, Beatrice Finch, Anna Belle Whiddon and Eunice Cooper; and brothers, Herman Hill and A.C. Hill.
Pallbearers were James Mazel, Charles Mazel, Howard Wittig, Ronnie Boedeker, Keith Hall and Don Hair.
Honorary Pallbearers were Lowe Freitag, Brian Kielman, Verlie Sherrill, Dennis Mazel, Terry Freese, Milton Hollis and all of his nieces and nephews.
If desiring, memorials may be made to St. Paul Lutheran Church, 325 N. East Avenue, Wharton, Texas 77488.
Ruby Moreland
Funeral services for Ruby Delle Ashmore Moreland, 80, of The Woodlands, will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at First United Methodist Church in The Woodlands with Rev. Scott Herren officiating. Burial will follow in Goldthwaite Memorial Cemetery.
Mrs. Moreland died Sept. 11, 2003, at Memorial Hermann Healthcare Systems in The Woodlands. She was born Jan. 28, 1923, in Manor to James M. and Mary Etta McCullough Ashmore.
She graduated from Austin High School and Blinn College and attended the University of Texas. Mrs. Moreland married Lester Lee Moreland on March 13, 1943, in San Antonio. She worked as a journalist for the Boling Journal and Wharton Journal-Spectator.
Survivors include sons and daughters-in-law, Jeffery B. and Susan Moreland of The Woodlands and Timothy P. and Carol Moreland of Houston; daughter and son-in-law, Leesa M. and Dennis Burford of Magnolia; sister, Adie Mae Lockwood of Wharton; sister-in-law, Ora Lee Ashmore of Boling; six grandchildren and their spouses, two nieces, two nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her husband, Lester Lee Moreland; brother, James Melvin Ashmore Jr.; and sisters, Dorothy Nell and Mary Anne Ashmore.
Pallbearers are her nephews and grandsons.
Contact Stacy-Wilkins Funeral Home in Goldthwaite.
Curtis Ray
Funeral services for Curtis Lee “Bubba” Ray, 53, of Wharton, will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at St. James Baptist Church with Rev. B.B. Willis officiating. Burial will follow in Peaceful Rest Cemetery in Needville. Visitation will be from 6-9 p.m. today, Saturday. Friends may call today.
Mr. Ray died Sept. 10, 2003, at Gulf Coast Medical Center. He was born April 28, 1950, in Galveston to Monroe and Caroline Newsome Ray.
Survivors include wife, Willie J. Schooler Ray of Wharton; mother, Caroline Ray of Needville; brothers, Troy Ray of Katy and Issac Ray of Elk, Okla; sisters, Dorothy Jean Mayberry of Needville, Beverly Joe Banks and Linda Faye Ray, both of Richmond.
Contact Gooden-Hatton Funeral Home.
Gordon Koonce
Temple Gordon Koonce Jr., age 68, of Wharton, died Saturday, March 27, 2004, in a Houston hospital following an extended illness. He was born on July 26, 1935, in Victoria, the son of Temple Gordon Koonce Sr. and the late Martha Frances Forgason Koonce.
Mr. Koonce graduated from Wharton High School in 1953. He attended Abilene Christian University where he graduated cum laude with a bachelor of science degree in 1957. He was named to “Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities” and was selected as “Outstanding Student of Range Management of the State of Texas” by the Texas Society of Range Management. Mr. Koonce married Patricia Ann Power on June 8, 1956, in Sinton. She preceded him in death on December 12, 2001. He was the former owner of Koonce Petroleum and was a rancher and partner in the Koonce Division of J.D. Hudgins, Inc. He had lived in Wharton County since 1957 and was a member and former Elder at Abell Street Church of Christ.
Mr. Koonce was past state president of the Texas Association of Young Farmers. He also was a past president of the Wharton Rotary Club, the Wharton Chamber of Commerce, the Wharton Industrial Foundation and the Wharton County Boy Builders Association. He served on the Wharton City Council, Wharton County Junior College Board of Trustees, Texas Oil Marketers Association Board of Directors and Abilene Christian University Advisory Board. Mr. Koonce served as National Chairman of the Exxon Distributors Advisory Council and in 1970 was named to “Who’s Who Among Outstanding Young Men in America.”
Funeral services were held 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 30, 2004, at Abell Street Church of Christ with Gene Polvado and Paul Jones officiating. Interment followed in the Wharton City Cemetery.
Survivors include his father, Temple Gordon Koonce Sr. of Hungerford; sons and daughters-in-law, Temple Gordon Koonce III and wife, Beverly, of Hungerford, Philip Shane Koonce and wife, Joan, of Sugar Land, J’Boone Forgason Koonce and wife, Jana, of Hungerford and Joe Hamilton Koonce and wife, Ellen, of Columbus, Ohio; sister, Frances Cullers of Hungerford and grandchildren, Temple Gordon Koonce IV, Brittany Koonce, Haylee Koonce, Jared Koonce, Kellye Koonce, Cole Koonce, Cade Koonce, Marli Koonce, Jaci Koonce and Justin Koonce.
Pallbearers were Judd Cullers, Ron Daniels, Richard Forgason, Joel Williams, Clifton Black, Emory Thomas, Joel Koonce and Jared Koonce.
Honorary pallbearers were David and Valerie Cheatham, Dr. B.F. Overholt, Myrtle Owens, Bob Evers, Kent Hill, Dr. Raymond Torp, Dr. Frank Mann and Mely Castellano.
If desiring, memorials may be made to Fellowship Center c/o Fort Sanders Foundation, 1901 Clinch Ave., Knoxville, TN 37916; or Bandina Christian Youth Camp, 2118 Thistlerock, Sugar Land, TX 77479; or the American Cancer Society, 204 2nd Street, Wharton, TX 77488.
Louvenia Neal
Funeral services for Louvenia “Ruth” Neal, 57, of Houston, will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Shiloh Community Church, 9410 W. Montgomery, in Houston, with Rev. A.J. Kemper Sr. officiating. Burial will follow in Paradise South Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 9 a.m. until noon Friday at Pierce Boone Funeral Home and from 6 top 9 p.m. at the church. Friends may call after 9 a.m. Friday.
Ms. Neal died March 27, 2004, at Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital. She was born Oct. 7, 1946, in Wharton to Mance and Audrey Greenwood Grissom Sr.
Survivors include son, Michael Grissom of Chatsworth, Calif.; daughter, Alicia Brown of Houston; brother, Mance Grissom Jr. of Wharton; sisters, Susan Moore of Wharton, Callie Jones of Phoenix, Ariz., Dorothy McClanahan of Galveston and Lucille Walker of Wharton; and four grandchildren.
Lucille Ottis
Lucille Ottis, 93, of Wharton died May 18, 2004, at Gulf Coast Medical Center in Wharton. She was born Aug. 31, 1910, in Eagle Lake to the late William Louis and Elizabeth Schmidt White.
Mrs. Ottis was a resident of Wharton the past two years and a former longtime resident of Wadsworth. She was a loyal member of First United Methodist Church of Bay City from childhood until her death. A devoted wife and loving family member, she and her late husband Matt were caregivers to the entire family and everyone turned to them in time of need. Mrs. Ottis loved to sew, knit, crochet and do all kinds of handwork for her family and friends.
Survivors include numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband: Matthew K. Ottis; sisters, Veronica Franz and Dorothy Williams; and brothers, Clinton, Audrell and Earl White.
Funeral services were held at 3 p.m. Friday, May 21, 2004, at Taylor Brothers Funeral Home in Bay City with Rev. Kevin Young officiating. Interment followed at Roselawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Van Vleck.
Pallbearers were Dick Ottis, Bill Baker, Scott Chambers, Chase Macek, Brent Herzik and John Rother.
Honorary Pallbearers were her many nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church in Bay City.
Arrangements were under the direction of Taylor Brothers Funeral Home in Bay City.
Vincencia Prazak
Vincencia Mader Prazak was received into the arms of the Lord on May 19, 2004, at the age of 91. She was born on Jan. 22, 1913, in Burleson County to the late Anton and Marry Horelica Mader.
She is survived by two daughters; Winnie Julia Warner and husband Jimmie of Wharton; Josie Wendell of San Antonio; two sons, Matthew Prazak and wife Louise of Angleton; and Willie Prazak Jr. and wife Hazel of Wharton. Also surviving are her 16 grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren, and 21 great-great-grandchildren.
Visitation began on Friday at noon at Triska Funeral Home. A rosary will be held on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. at Holy Family Catholic Church in Wharton. A funeral mass will follow at 10 a.m. today, Saturday, at Holy Family Catholic Church with Rev. Joe Vrana officiating. Burial will be at Holy Cross Memorial Park Cemetery in El Campo.
Pallbearers will be John Warner, Melvin WendeIl, Steve Dirba, James Prazak, Raymond Prazak and Edwin Paul Prazak.
Mrs. Prazak was a homemaker all of her life and enjoyed cooking for her children and grandchildren. Her homemade kolaches were by far the favorite of all. She will be missed by all and live on in our hearts and in our thoughts.
John Hill
On July 21, 2004, John E. Hill Sr. was taken home to be with his Lord after a brief but courageous battle with cancer. He was a kind and gentle man who served his Lord faithfully. During his last days he was surrounded by family and friends.
Mr. Hill was born in Livingston on Sept. 14, 1924, to Samuel Francis and Patty Jones Hill. He was an exemplary Boy Scout, attaining both Eagle Scout rank as well as the God and Country award. After graduating from Lamar High School in Houston in 1943, he joined the U.S. Navy serving his country until the American victory in World War II. During the Korean War, John served aboard the U.S.S. Pine Island. While on active duty, he also met and married the love of his life, Betty Roberts. Following his return to the United States, he graduated from the University of Houston with a B.A. in history and later, a master’s degree in education.
He began his professional career in the school districts of Wharton, Hempstead and Bay City. At various times Mr. Hill worked as a classroom teacher, basketball coach, and principal. In 1966 he moved to Austin where he began duties with the Texas State Teachers Association as a field representative and eventually director of membership until he retired in 1980. After a year, he joined the Texas Industries for the Blind and Handicapped, securing jobs for people with disabilities. During his years with T.S.T.A. and T.I.B.H. he was a well respected lobbyist. Later Mr. Hill became a volunteer lobbyist with the American Association of Retired Persons. In 2001 and 2002 he was the leader of the A.A.R.P. Community Council, Advocacy Volunteers and a member of the State Legislative Committee.
His first true calling was serving the Lord. He served as a greeter, a deacon and a member of the Sanctuary Choir at Hyde Park Baptist Church for over 30 years. Mr. Hill was a member of Hillcrest Baptist Church at the time of his death where he sang in the senior adult choir. He also led the singing in the senior adult Sunday School Department. Although raised in the city, John loved the country. Betty and John enjoyed time together during their retirement years at their farm in Lee County where they raised cattle, enjoyed the beautiful land and shared many wonderful memories with family and friends.
He is survived by his wife Betty; children Nancy Cavendish and husband Bob of Buda; Patricia Hindes and husband Jim of Pleasanton; John Hill Jr. and Cynthia Hill of Austin; and Betty Jean Ryden and Ben Laney of Austin. His grandchildren are John Mark, Andrew and William Cavendish; Daniel, Amy, Carter and Amanda Hindes; Terence Hill, Jacob Hill, Elaina Lopez and husband Oscar; and Matthew and Christopher Ryden. His great grandchildren are Oscar Jr. and Danyelle Lopez.
He is also survived by a brother, Wilson Hill and his wife, Ruby, of Houston; sister-in-law Dorothy Hill of Anahuac; brother-in-law Douglas Roberts of Orlando, Fla.; former son-in-law, Steve Ryden; a wonderful family of nieces, nephews, cousins, and their children and a host of many great friends.
The grandsons will serve as pallbearers.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to the Bus Fund, Hillcrest Baptist Church, 3838 Steck Avenue, Austin, Texas 78759; or a charity of personal choice.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today, Saturday, July 24, 2004, at the Weed Corley-Fish Funeral Home in Austin.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, July 25, 2004, at Hillcrest Baptist Church and burial will follow at Capital Memorial Park in Pflugerville.
Arrangements by Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home, 3125 N. Lamar, Austin, TX 78705.
Pauline H. Amaro
Funeral mass services for Pauline Hernandez Amaro, age 89 of Wharton, were held 10 a.m. Thursday, September 30, 2004 at Mt. Carmel Catholic Church with Father Charles Lynch C.S.B. officiating. Graveside services and interment were held Friday afternoon at the San Fernando Cemetery in San Antonio. Rosary services were held Wednesday evening at the Wharton Funeral Home.
Pauline Amaro died Tuesday, September 28, 2004 at her residence following an extended illness. She was born on August 10, 1915 in San Antonio, the daughter of Martin Hernandez and Balbina Lozano Hernandez.
Mrs. Amaro was a long time resident of Iago before moving to Wharton in 1984. She married Cruz R. Amaro in 1934 in Newgulf and was preceded in death by him on April 13, 1981. Pauline ran a successful food business and was known for her hot tamales in Iago. She was a member of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church. She enjoyed crocheting and was an avid gardener.
Survivors include her daughters, Faustina Amaro of Wharton, Gloria Mann of Boerne, and Mary Ann Peck of Longmont, Colo.; sons, Cruz H. Amaro of Magnolia, Arnold Amaro of Wharton and Christopher Amaro of Austin; sister, Trinidad Lopez of San Antonio; nine grandchildren and four great grandchildren also survive.
She was preceded in death by her parents; daughters, Gloria Amaro and infant, Rosario Amaro; sister, Frances Perez and brother, Nick Hernandez.
If desiring, memorials may be made to Mt. Carmel Catholic Church, 506 S. East Ave., Wharton, Texas 77488.
Arthur F. Bremser
Funeral services for Arthur F. Bremser, age 77 of Wharton will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, October 3, 2004 at Holy Family Catholic Church in Wharton. Friends may call for visitation after 6 p.m. Saturday at the Wharton Funeral Home and a Rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.
In lieu of usual remembrances the family requests memorials to your favorite charity.
