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Louis Berberich
Louis John Berberich passed away on July 20, 2004, at the age of 79. A memorial service was held for him on July 26, 2004, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Wharton, where he was a lifelong member, with Pastor Paul Kersten officiating.
Mr. Berberich was born to Ed and Julia Heil Berberich on April 4, 1925, at home in the Burr community, where he lived his entire life. He attended Lawson School in Burr and Wharton High School, then owned and operated a dairy farm until 1977. Mr. Berberich retired from the City of Wharton Water and Sewer Department and was then able to enjoy many years of his hobbies of gardening and raising beef calves.
He married the former Aileen Ruth Matula, who predeceased him in August of 2003. He was also preceded in death by his parents, Ed and Julia Berberich; brothers, Phillip Berberich and Eddie Berberich; and sisters, infant Katy Berberich, Jeanette Williams and Barbara Hobbs. He is survived by his son, Rick Berberich of Burr; daughter Amy and son-in-law Keith Ermis of Wharton; daughter Mona and son-in-law David Zimmerman of Jersey Village; and his cherished grandchildren, Kayci and Kelli Ermis and Paul and Jessi Zimmerman.
Mr. Berberich was a social man who never met a stranger. He loved talking to anyone and everyone, wherever he went. He was first and always a country boy and farmer and liked nothing more than riding around “looking at the countryside.” His family has lost their weather forecaster and crop predictor, their pecan and dewberry picker, their animal expert and gardener. Mr. Berberich loved watching baseball and college basketball, especially his teams Duke and UT. He played Friday night dominoes with his wife Aileen and special friends Chester and Polly Matula. Mr. Berberich was a devoted husband for nearly 50 years and has not missed a single anniversary with Aileen. He loved his children, but his greatest joys were his four grandchildren. Mr. Berberich was interested in everything they did and would watch them in any activity, even those long dance recitals. He was content to sit in a room and listen to the grandkids talk and talk and talk. They made him smile, and he made them laugh. They will miss him.
Honorary pallbearers are Patrick Johnston, Paul Hobbs, Keith Archer, Rusty Williams, Wayne Hobbs, Chester Matula, Paul Kersten, Lawrence Morgan, Cleopher Jackson and his “buddies” in the Lab Department at South Texas Medical Clinics: Carol Rychlik, Evelyn Penrice, Shirley O’Neal and Donald Guthrie.
Special thanks are given to his care-giver Lola Montez, Jan Stokes, Dr. Don LaGrone, and the staff at Matagorda General Hospital.
If desiring, memorials may be made in memory of Mr. Berberich to The Alzheimer’s Association, 2909 W. Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX 77025-1532.
John Cochran II
John Earl “Jay” Cochran II, age 16, of Wharton, died Sunday, July 25, 2004, in Wharton. He was born on May 15, 1988, in Wharton, the son of Horace Franklin Cochran II and Lisa Carol French Cochran.
Jay was a lifelong resident of Wharton and a member of the First Baptist Church. He was a sophomore at Wharton High School. Jay enjoyed golfing, fishing, four wheeling and being in the great outdoors. He enjoyed life to the fullest and he loved being with his many friends.
Funeral services will be held 2 p.m. Thursday, July 29, 2004, at First Baptist Church of Wharton with the Rev. Mack Mathis officiating. Interment will follow in Wharton City Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 28, at the Wharton Funeral Home.
Survivors include his parents, Frank and Lisa Cochran of Wharton; sister, Christine Renee Cochran of Wharton; paternal grandmother, Evelyn Cochran of Wharton; maternal grandfather, Tom E. French of Wharton, aunts and uncles, Steve and Annette Frank, Cory and Renee Crim, Kathleen Cline, and Sara and Larry Wind; cousins, Jessica and Miles Frank, Briton and Stuart Watkins, Meaghan Crim, Burke and Sarah Elizabeth Wilkins, Emily and Jackson Wilkins, Robert and Tamar Cline, Laura Wind, John and Sara Beth Wind and Madeline Wind.
He was preceded in death by his grandfather, John Earl Cochran and his grandmother, Verna Grace French.
Pallbearers are John Wind, Burke Wilkins, Stuart Watkins, Briton Watkins, Aaron Kieler, Pierce Otto, Kendan Folmar, Drew Folmar and Blake Folmar.
Honorary pallbearers are all of his many friends.
Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church Scholarship Fund, 507 N. Fulton, Wharton, TX 77488.
Mabel Ford
Funeral services for Mabel Ann Ford, 80, of Wharton, will be held 2 p.m. Saturday at Mother Zion Baptist Church with Rev. R. Taylor III officiating. Burial will follow in Wharton City Cemetery. Visitation will be Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. Friends may call after 1 p.m. Friday.
Mrs. Ford died July 24, 2004, at Memorial Hermann Fort Bend Hospital. She was born Sept. 22, 1923, in Haynesville, La., to Ulysses and Florence Hanson Rowe.
Survivors include sons, Abram Ford and O.D. Ford Jr., both of Missouri City; daughters, Mabel Ephran, Delores Hayes, Ivory Jo Ford and Betty Ford, all of Wharton, Clara O’Conner of Spring, Ola Broussard and Donna Marks, both of Missouri City, and Pat Gardner of Fresno; sisters, Marjorie Jackson of Houston and Jacqueline C. Rowe of Missouri City; 25 grandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren.
Contact Gooden-Hatton Funeral Home.
Gwendolyn Mitchell
Funeral services for Gwendolyn Mitchell, 51, of Wharton, will be held 11 a.m. Saturday at Mother Zion Baptist Church with Rev. C.L. Wallace Sr. officiating. Burial will follow in New Prosperity Cemetery. Visitation will be Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. Friends may call after 1 p.m. Friday.
Mrs. Mitchell was born Aug. 25, 1952, in El Campo to Nathaniel and Arva Vann Carter. She died July 23, 2004, at her home.
Survivors include father, Nathaniel Carter of Chicago, Ill.; mother, Arva Vann Burkes of Wharton; husband, Ivory Lee Mitchell of Wharton; son, Lewis Lee of Chicago, Ill.; sister, Rosalind C. Thomas of Chicago, Ill.
Contact Gooden-Hatton Funeral Home.
Bruno Legler
Bruno William Legler, age 93 of Wharton, died Thursday, Sept. 2, 2004, in Wharton. He was born on Sept. 16, 1910, in Fayetteville, the son of the late Julius and Ida Kirsch Legler.
Mr. Legler married Edna Louise Piwetz on July 3, 1946, in Weimar. She preceded him in death on Jan. 22, 2002. He was a veteran of World War II having served in the United States Army. Mr. Legler was awarded a Bronze Star for his service. He was the former head of maintenance at Caney Valley Hospital and worked many years as a master carpenter. Mr. Legler was an active member of St. Paul Lutheran Church and was heavily involved with the building committee when the church was built. He was a member of VFW Post No. 4474, and had recently received an award for being their oldest living member. He loved playing dominoes.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 4, 2004, at St. Paul Lutheran Church with Pastor Laura Olson officiating. Interment followed in Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery with a military graveside service conducted by American Legion Post No. 87.
Survivors include his daughter and son-in-law, Debra and Chris Caston of Lewisville; sons and daughters-in-law, Victor and Barbara Legler of Katy, Larry and Glenda Legler of Wharton, Don and Shelley Legler of Brighton, Tenn., and Mark Legler of Fort Worth; sister, Antonia Coufal of LaGrange; and grandchildren, Erin Legler van der Wel, Blake Legler, Brian Legler, Jay Legler, Katherine Legler, Michela Legler, Anna Legler and Jacob Legler. He was preceded in death by five sisters and three brothers.
Pallbearers were Jay Legler, Brian Legler, Blake Legler, Greg Smaistrla, Tom Piwetz, Richard Piwetz and Eric van der Wel.
Honorary pallbearers were the members of VFW Post No. 4474.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to St. Paul Lutheran Church, 325 N. East Avenue, Wharton, TX 77488; or the American Heart Association, 2626 S. Loop West, Suite 510, Houston, TX 77054.
Vera Farris
Funeral services for Vera Bradley, 58, of Hungerford, will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at Cullen Missionary Baptist Church in Houston with Rev. Robert Jefferson officiating. Burial will follow in Bowden Cemetery in Hungerford.
Mrs. Farris died Sept. 1, 2004, at Gulf Coast Medical Center. She was born Feb. 4, 1946, in Wharton to R.B. Bradley and Senoria Whitehead.
Survivors include son, Lamond Randy of Houston; sisters, Doris Gray of Wharton, Barbara Bradley and Alma Lois McMillian, both of Hungerford, brother, Andrew Bradley of Houston; nieces and nephews.
Contact Ben Davis Funeral Home in Columbus.
Bruno Legler
Funeral services for Bruno William Legler, 93, of Wharton will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Wharton.
Mr. Legler died Sept. 2, 2004, in Wharton after an extended illness.
Alvin Rath
Funeral services for Alvin J. Rath Sr., 95, of Cuero, will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Cuero with Rev. Kirby Hlavaty officiating. Burial will follow in Hillside Cemetery in Cuero. A rosary service will be held at 7 p.m. today, Friday, at Freund Funeral Chapel in Cuero.
Mr. Rath died Sept. 2, 2004. He was born March 12, 1909, in DeWitt County to the late Albert J. and Bertha Koenig Rath.
He was a self-employed rancher and farmer and was a member of St. Michael’s Catholic Church. Mr. Rath married the former Alice Bitterly and she preceded him in death. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, Council NO. 1682, Green DeWitt Community Club, Golly Community Club and DeWitt County Pecan Growers Association.
Survivors include sons, A.J. Rath Jr. of Wharton, William A. “Bill” Rath of Victoria and Jerry Rath of Cuero; 12 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. He was also preceded in death by an infant daughter; son, Newton J. Rath; and brother, Erwin Rath Sr.
If desiring, memorials may be made to St. Michael’s School Endowment Fund or Green DeWitt Community Club.
Bruno Legler
Bruno William Legler, age 93 of Wharton, died Thursday, Sept. 2, 2004, in Wharton. He was born on Sept. 16, 1910, in Fayetteville, the son of the late Julius and Ida Kirsch Legler.
Mr. Legler married Edna Louise Piwetz on July 3, 1946, in Weimar. She preceded him in death on Jan. 22, 2002. He was a veteran of World War II having served in the United States Army. Mr. Legler was awarded a Bronze Star for his service. He was the former head of maintenance at Caney Valley Hospital and worked many years as a master carpenter. Mr. Legler was an active member of St. Paul Lutheran Church and was heavily involved with the building committee when the church was built. He was a member of VFW Post No. 4474, and had recently received an award for being their oldest living member. He loved playing dominoes.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 4, 2004, at St. Paul Lutheran Church with Pastor Laura Olson officiating. Interment followed in Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery with a military graveside service conducted by American Legion Post No. 87.
Survivors include his daughter and son-in-law, Debra and Chris Caston of Lewisville; sons and daughters-in-law, Victor and Barbara Legler of Katy, Larry and Glenda Legler of Wharton, Don and Shelley Legler of Brighton, Tenn., and Mark Legler of Fort Worth; sister, Antonia Coufal of LaGrange; and grandchildren, Erin Legler van der Wel, Blake Legler, Brian Legler, Jay Legler, Katherine Legler, Michela Legler, Anna Legler and Jacob Legler. He was preceded in death by five sisters and three brothers.
Pallbearers were Jay Legler, Brian Legler, Blake Legler, Greg Smaistrla, Tom Piwetz, Richard Piwetz and Eric van der Wel.
Honorary pallbearers were the members of VFW Post No. 4474.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to St. Paul Lutheran Church, 325 N. East Avenue, Wharton, TX 77488; or the American Heart Association, 2626 S. Loop West, Suite 510, Houston, TX 77054.
Olga Kohleffel
Olga Hulda Kohleffel, age 92, of Wharton died Monday, Aug. 30, 2004, in a Wharton nursing home following an extended illness. She was born on April 6, 1912, in Hungerford, the daughter of the late Rudolph G. Zahn and Loure Elizabeth Kraus Zahn.
Mrs. Kohleffel was a longtime resident of Boling before moving to Wharton in November of 1999. She married Howard Rudolph Kohleffel on June 14, 1933, in Wharton and he preceded her in death on March 22, 1996. She was also preceded in death by one brother and two sisters. Mrs. Kohleffel worked in the cafeteria of the Boling Independent School District for 23 years until her retirement in 1973. She later worked in the cafeteria of the Wharton Manor Nursing Home. Mrs. Kohleffel was a member of the Boling United Methodist Church in Boling.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2004, at the chapel of Wharton Funeral Home with Rev. Paul Thomasson officiating. Burial followed in the Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery.
Survivors include her daughter, Emma Jean Kohleffel of Wharton; son and daughter-in-law, Allen and Lillian Kohleffel of Wharton; sisters, Myrtle Ustynik and Margaret Nitsche, both of Wharton; brother, Waldo Zahn of Wharton; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Pallbearers were Herschel Ustynik, Duane Ustynik, Dennis Ustynik, Larry Smith, Charles Kohleffel and Kerry Kohleffel.
Honorary Pallbearers were the ladies of Boling United Methodist Church and all residents and staff of Wharton Manor Nursing Home.
In lieu of usual remembrances the family requests memorials to Boling United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 272, Boling, TX 77420; or Houston Hospice, 1102 N. Mechanic, El Campo, TX 77437.
Funeral services were under the direction of the Wharton Funeral Home.
Millitant Jackson
Funeral services for Millitant A. Jackson, 34, of Houston and formerly of Kendleton, will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Little Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Kendleton. Burial will follow in Powell Point Cemetery in Kendleton. Family visitation will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Evans Mortuary, 1201 Preston in Richmond.
Mr. Jackson died Aug. 29, 2004, at Memorial Hermann Hospital Southwest. He was born in Wharton to Judge C. and the late Eleanor Jean Thorn Jackson.
He was reared and educated in Kendleton and graduated from Lamar Consolidated High School. Mr. Jackson was a veteran of the U.S. Navy. He was a master machinist for Grant-Pride Co.
Survivors include father, Judge C. Jackson Jr. of Kendleton; step-mother, Arlene Jackson of Kendleton; grandmother, Algeretta Jackson of Kendleton; brothers, Montreal, Nicholos and Judge Jackson III; sisters, Cupid and Nicole; step-sister, Darilyn; aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his mother, Eleanor Jean Jackson; brother, Michael Jackson; and step-brother, Marshan Norris.
Contact Evans Mortuary (281) 342-5201.
