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Leola T. Flowers
HARLINGEN, TX — Sister Leola Threadgill-Flowers was born in Harlingen, Texas, March 26, 1938 to William and Georgia Threadgill.
She married John Leonard Flowers, Sr. on August 13, 1955. After a lengthy illness, she went on to be with her Lord and Savior on February 1, 2004. Her husband, father, twin sister, Viola, brothers, Wilbert, Lemuel, and Herman preceded her in death.
She leaves to cherish her precious memory and great legacy: mother, Georgia Threadgill; sisters, Anna B. (James) Henderson, and Mary Smith; brothers, Arthur (Princeola) Threadgill, Freddie Lee Threadgill; sister-in-law, Ora Lee Threadgill; children, Paula Flowers, Gerald (Rose) Flowers, William (Rita) Flowers, John (Yvonne) Flowers, Cynthia (Murphy) Joseph II, and Carl (Stephanie) Flowers; and forty-six grand and great grandchildren.
During her lifetime, Leola was an executive chef at the Sheraton Harlingen Inn, and worked for Luby’s Cafeteria for many years. She was a loving, doting mother, and grandmother equally proud of her children and all children who found themselves in her care. She was a faithful member of the Corinth Baptist Church in Harlingen, TX and she would read her Bible through the first three months of the year. Her favorite saying was "The race is not given to the swift and neither the battle to the strong Ecc:9:11, but to those who endure to the end Matt: 24:13". These combined scriptures formed a Bible truth for encouraging others to stay in the race for eternal life, and keep on fighting the good fight of faith for there was a just reward awaiting all who endured to the end. This is her living legacy that speaks to us today.
Mommy, we will always love you, and you will continue to guide us, as we are your living legacy. Your thankful and loving family.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, February 7, 2004 at 10 a.m. at Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home with Rev. C.D. Flowers officiating. Burial will follow in Mont Meta Memorial Park in San Benito.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home.
Grover John Weikel Jr.
LOS FRESNOS — Grover John Weikel Jr. ("Benny") born May 19, 1927 in San Antonio, Texas, passed peacefully at his home in Los Fresnos on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 at the age of 76.
Grover moved to Port Isabel/Laguna Vista with his family in 1929, where his father owned the Star and Crescent Fishery.
They made the move to Los Fresnos after the 1933 hurricane destroyed the family fishing vessels, home, and fishery buildings. The family built a home on Paredes Line Road north of Los Fresnos, where they lived for many years.
Grover attended Los Fresnos schools and participated in many extracurricular activities. Grover played both baseball and six-man football, as well as being a member of the Los Fresnos High School Band where he earned the nickname of "Benny" for his clarinet skills.
During his school years, Grover was active in Boy Scout Troop 61 where he earned his Eagle Scout honors and was inducted into the Order of the Arrow at Camp Perry. While still in high school, Grover embarked upon a life-long passion for airplanes by earning his Private Pilot’s license at the old Mauldin Airport in Brownsville.
Upon graduation in 1945, Grover joined the Army and served with Company C, 13th Engineering (Combat) Battalion, 7th Infantry Division in Okinawa and the Occupation of Korea. Like many others of "The Greatest Generation", his service days were both the best of times and worst of times.
Discharged in 1947, Grover attended Texas A&I in Kingsville and later returned to farm with his father and brother in Los Fresnos.
During his early farming days, he also worked with his father in their local construction business (Weikel Construction), building a number of homes and business establishments.
On October 14, 1948, Grover was married to Alice Jeanne Rader in the Los Fresnos Methodist Church. The ceremony was performed by Jeanne’s grandfather, the Rev. Roy G. Rader, and given away in marriage by her father, the Rev. Elmer A. Rader, Pastor of the Los Fresnos Methodist Church. Over the ensuing 55 years, Grover gave much to both the church and the community. Those who knew him will never forget his unselfish nature and positive perspective.
During the 60’s, Grover was active with the Boy Scouts, serving as Scoutmaster. Grover took Troop 61 to Camp Perry on several occasions where he hoped the young men would enjoy the same experiences and camaraderie he had so enjoyed.
In 1965, he went to work for Brown & Root, Inc. at Union Carbide’s Brownsville, Texas facility, where he worked until its closure in 1983. For the last 20 years, Grover served as Building Inspector for the town of Rancho Vie.
Grover is survived by his wife of 55 years, Alice Jeanne Rader Weikel, two sons, Richard Kerry (Joni) Weikel of Kerrville, TX, Craig Rader Weikel, Sandra Lohmann of Pflugerville, TX and four grandchildren, Kurt Rader Weikel of Round Rock, TX, Jennifer Carly Weikel (Russ) Corbell of Nacogdoches, TX, John Jordan Weikel of Kerrville, TX and Rebekah Kasey Weikel also of Kerrville; a sister, Patricia (Charles) Walker, Anacortes, WA; two brothers, Milton K. Weikel of Westhoff, TX and Kenneth Alan (Barbra) Weikel of Tulsa, OK.
Grover was preceded in death by his father, G. J. Weikel, his mother, Margaret McFarland Weikel and his brother, David Edward Weikel.
Grover’s beloved grandchildren called him "Papa" and they will dearly miss his unwavering love and support.
There will be no service at this time. A private memorial service will be held at a later date. A memory table and guest book will be placed at Thomae Funeral Home, 701 N. Bowie, San Benito, Texas on Friday, February 13. 2004, between the hours of 3 and 6 p.m. and at the Los Fresnos United Methodist Church on Sunday, February 15, 2004 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given in his name to:
Los Fresnos United Methodist Church, PO Box 518, Los Fresnos, TX 78566 or Sandi Jo Funk Hospice Program, Valley Baptist Medical Center, PO Box 2588, Harlingen, TX 78550.
Jose Gilberto Guzman
RAYMONDVILLE — Jose Gilberto Guzman (Don Beto), 82, entered into eternal rest on Tuesday evening, February 10, 2004 at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen, TX.
He was born in Comanja, Michoacan (Mexico) on September 1, 1921 and had lived in Raymondville since 1047. A rosary will be held Friday, 7 p.m. at Duddlesten Chapel.
Funeral service will be held Saturday, 1 p.m., February 14th at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church.
Burial will follow at the Raymondville Memorial Park Cemetery.
He is survived by his wife, Angelina Guzman and five children: Teresa Guzman, Efrain (Imelda) Guzman, Ruben Guzman, Rosalinda Guzman and Gilbert Guzman, Jr.; two granddaughters, Gabriela and Beatrice Guzman. Gilberto was a longtime employee at McGee Farms. As a farm laborer, Gilberto knew the lay of the land he worked on for many years to produce vegetables, cotton and other crops. It was while at McGee Farms that he and his wife raised their family and instilled the importance of education in their children. After retirement from McGee Farms, he continued to tend God’s earth as a Lawn Maintenance worker.
Gilberto’s easy going personality enabled him to generate not only many referrals for work, but also allowed him to make new friends. Throughout his life as a manual laborer he demonstrated the values of hard work, dedication and responsibility to the only job he knew and intense pride at performing a good job. Fittingly his five children carry on these values and principles in their careers and lives as two teachers, an engineer, a nurse and a physical therapist.
He will be dearly missed by his family and friends. He will never be forgotten by his wife, children and granddaughters.
Pallbearers will be Chuey Contreras, Rick Gonzales, Frank Torres, Arnulfo Rivera, Inocencio Perez and Albino Cantu.
Honorary Pallbearer will be Adan Llanes.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Duddlesten Funeral Home.
Irving Ray Reiff Budd
RIO HONDO, TX — Irving Ray Reiff Budd was born December 16, 1916, in Minneapolis, MN, Budd was the elder son of Irving Merton and Charlotte Green Reiff.
He died at his home in Rio Hondo, TX, February 11, 2004, at the age of 87.
Following his graduation from high school, Budd joined the Civilian Conservation Corps and served near the Canadian border in a foreast fire unit. When his parents re-located to the Rio Grande Valley in 1938, he came with them. He became an assistant manager of the S.H. Kress store in Brownsville.
In 1944 he was drafted into the U.S. Army and sent to the Phillippines. He saw action as a radioman with the Americal Division. When he was discharged in 1946, he enrolled at Brownsville Junior College (now Texas Southmost). He completed both his baccalaureate and master’s degrees, majoring in educational administration, at Texas College of Arts and Industries (now TAMU/Kingsville). He returned to Brownsville to become a school principal in the El Jardin ISD. Two years later, when El Jardin was consolidated with the Brownsville ISD, he was named assistant principal at Brownsville High School.
Budd married Joan Hunter in July, 1954 at Brownsville’s First Methodist Church. They then moved to Rio Hondo. He served as junior high school principal for thirteen years before shifting to the elementary campus for an additional thirteen years.
To his staff memebers he was known as counselor, friend, scholar, son leader, and (on occasion) "El Jefe." He retired in 1980. Always an active member of the Rio Hondo Community Church, Budd taught Sunday School, served many years on the church board, and sang in the choir.
As a "jack of all trades," he would repair and paint the playground equipment at his school during summer vacation, turn an empty closet into an extra restroom for his staff members, or help put a new roof on a church education building.
Perched atop his red bicycle, he was a well-recognized figure as he picked up the family’s mail, bought a few groceries, and ran errands for over forty years. He was also an active member of Rio Hondo’s Masonic Lodge 1246, serving in every office over a 40-year period of time. He was a member of the Dolly Vinsant Memorial Foundation of San Benito for more than 20 years.
Survivors include his wife Joan; his sons Michael Ray Reiff and his wife Sandra of McAllen and Burt Hunter Reiff of Lafayette, LA; his daughters Meri Leah Pachuilo and her husband Lou of Chandler, AZ, and Charlotte Jean Anderson and her husband Dwayne of Kyle, TX; two grandsons Hunter Anderson and Dominic Pachuilo; his brother William Ray Reiff and his Wife Glyn of Corpus Christi; and sisters-in-law Jean Traster and her husband Elden of Arlington, TX, and Jane Fowler and her husband Bruce of Mason, Tx.
Visitation at the San Benito Funeral Home will be from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., February 13th.
A graveside service will be held at the Rio Hondo City Cemetery at 2:30 p.m., February 14th, followed by a memorial service, 2:.0 p.m., at the Community Church with Will Aten officiating. Those who wish to do so may make memorial donations to the Community Church, P.O. Box 157, Rio Hondo: to the International Seamen’s Center, P.O. Box 4033, Brownsville, TX 78523; or to a charity of their choice. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of San Benito Funeral Home, San Benito, TX.
Lawson White (L.W.) House, Jr.
HARLINGEN — Lawson White House, Jr. (known as L.W.), passed away on Monday, February 9, 2004 at Valley Baptist Medical Center.
He was born February 25, 1917 in Kaufman, Texas where he grew up. He met his wife Zollie while both were working at Baylor Hospital in Dallas and married shortly before World War II. He was drafted into the war at its beginning and served his tour of duty in India, China and Burma until its end.
In 1948, they moved from Dallas with their first born son to Harlingen to work for the old Valley Baptist Hospital, where a daughter and another son were born.
He then went on to help open the new Valley Baptist Hospital. Upon it’s opening in 1962, L.W. went to work as Assistant Administrator for Knapp Memorial Methodist Hospital in Weslaco, until retiring in 1982.
Everyone that was acquainted with L.W. knew he was a man who loved his wife and family.
His passion was the bay and fishing. He spent as much free time as he could in the early years at the beach and during his retirement, at his fishing cabin at Three Islands.
For many years while raising their family, he and his wife were members of the First United Methodist Church of Weslaco. L.W. believed in Jesus Christ as his Savior and in eternal life. He was a leader in guiding people to live their lives according to the teachings of the Bible. Mark 1:17.
He is survived by his devoted wife of 64 years, Zollie House of Harlingen; his loving children, his sons and daughters-in-law, Lawson and Carolyn House of Enid, OK and Dennis and Karen House of Harlingen; a daughter and son-in-law, Paula and Jamie McClanahan of Wimberly, TX. Also surviving are four grandchildren, Christopher House and fiancée, April Oppegard, Jon House and wife, Stephanie, Justin House and Tamara McClanahan.
A memorial service will be held on Sunday, February 15, 2004 at 1:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Weslaco. Officiating the service will be the Rev. Myron Ricketts, Pastor of First United Methodist Church in Weslaco, assisted by the Rev. Sam Hunnicut, Pastor of Wesley United Methodist Church in Harlingen.
Friends who wish may make memorial contributions to Retama Manor Nursing Home, 820 Camelot, Harlingen, TX 78550.
Arrangements are under the direction of McCaleb Funeral Home of Weslaco.
Mauricio R. Fragoso
HARLINGEN, TX — Mauricio R. Fragoso, 83, passed away on Wednesday, February 11, 2004. He was born in Tampico to Juan and Jesusa Fragoso. He was retired having been employed by Libby & Libbys in Hartford Wisconsin, and Davis Plumbing in Harlingen Texas. He enjoyed his favorite sport boxing and also enjoyed gardening.
He is survived by his children Jose Antonio (Irma) Fragoso of Wylie, TX. Mauricio (Hanelore) Jr. Fragoso of Ansbash Germany, Juanita (Jesse) De Leon, Manuel (Sharon) Fragoso, Daniel Fragoso, Oscar Fragoso of Harlingen, Texas, Magdalena (Pedro) Valenzuela III of San Benito Texas, Irma Dora (Trino Cantu) Fragoso of Harlingen, Texas, Juan Roberto (Edna) Fragoso of Harlingen, Texas, 22 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren, sister Teresa of Tampico, MX, and brother Carlos of Houston, TX.
Visitation will be held on Friday February 13, 2004 from 9:00 a.m. to 9 p.m. with a Holy Rosary to be prayed at 7 p.m. Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday February 14, 2004 at Our Lady of Assumption Catholic Church in Harlingen, TX, with the interment to follow at Restlawn Memorial Park in La Feria.
Pallbearers will be Marcos Antonio Fragoso, Jesse De Leon Jr., Felix De Leon, Ernie Fragoso, Mauricio Fragoso, Alex Fragoso, Honorary Pallbearers will be Peter Valenzuela IV, and Juan Roberto Fragoso Jr.
The Family sends a special Thanks to the Good Samaritan Nursing Home staff for the care they provided their loved one. Memorial announcement at www.mem.com .
Arrangements under the care of to Mont Meta Restlawn Cox Funeral Home.
Tomas M. Padilla, Sr.
SAN BENITO, TX — Tomas M. Padilla, Sr., 88, passed away at Harlingen Good Samaritan Center on February 11, 2004.
Survivors include one daughter, Francisca Robles of San Benito, TX; 2 sons, Reymundo Padilla of San Benito, TX, and Tomas Padilla, Jr. of San Benito, TX; 28 grandchildren; 63 great grandchildren; 5 great great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Manuela Padilla Zamora; 2 brothers, Felipe and Isabel Zamora; 2 sisters, Julia and Guadalupe Padilla.
Pallbearers will be Tomas Padilla, Jr., III, Julian Robles, Martin Padilla, Ramon Padilla, Juan Jose Aguirre, and Cristobal Aguirre.
Chapel services will be held today, February 14, 2004 at 2 p.m. Interment will follow to San Benito City Cemetery.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Thomae Garza Funeral Directors, 395 S. Sam Houston, San Benito. 956-399-1331.
Irving Ray Reiff "Budd"
RIO HONDO, TX — Irving Ray Reiff "Budd" was born December 16, 1916, in Minneapolis, MN, Budd was the elder son of Irving Merton and Charlotte Green Reiff. He died at his home in Rio Hondo, TX, February 11, 2004, at the age of 87.
Following his graduation from high school, Budd joined the Civilian Conservation Corps and served near the Canadian border in a forest fire unit.
When his parents re-located to the Rio Grande Valley in 1938, he came with them. He became an assistant manager of the S.H. Kress store in Brownsville. In 1944 he was drafted into the U.S. Army and sent to the Phillippines. He saw action as a radioman with the Americal Division.
When he was discharged in 1946, he enrolled at Brownsville Junior College (now Texas Southmost). He completed both his baccalaureate and master’s degrees, majoring in educational administration, at Texas College of Arts and Industries (now TAMU/Kingsville).
He returned to Brownsville to become a school principal in the El Jardin ISD. Two years later, when El Jardin was consolidated with the Brownsville ISD, he was named assistant principal at Brownsville High School.
Budd married Joan Hunter in July, 1954 at Brownsville’s First Methodist Church. They then moved to Rio Hondo. He served as junior high school principal for thirteen years before shifting to the elementary campus for an additional thirteen years.
To his staff members he was known as counselor, friend, scholar, song leader, and (on occasion) "El Jefe."
He retired in 1980. Always an active member of the Rio Hondo Community Church, Budd taught Sunday School, served many years on the church board, and sang in the choir.
As a "jack of all trades," he would repair and paint the playground equipment at his school during summer vacation, turn an empty closet into an extra restroom for his staff members, or help put a new roof on a church education building.
Perched atop his red bicycle, he was a well-recognized figure as he picked up the family’s mail, bought a few groceries, and ran errands for over forty years. He was also an active member of Rio Hondo’s Masonic Lodge 1246, serving in every office over a 40-year period of time.
He was a member of the Dolly Vinsant Memorial Foundation of San Benito for more than 20 years.
Survivors include his wife Joan; his sons Michael Ray Reiff and his wife Sandra of McAllen and Burt Hunter Reiff of Lafayette, LA; his daughters Meri Leah Pachuilo and her husband Lou of Chandler, AZ, and Charlotte Jean Anderson and her husband Dwayne of Kyle, TX; two grandsons Hunter Anderson and Dominic Pachuilo; his brother William Ray Reiff and his wife Glyn of Corpus Christi; and sisters-in-law Jean Traster and her husband Elden of Arlington, TX, and Jane Fowler and her husband Bruce of Mason, Tx.
Visitation was held at the San Benito Funeral Home from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., February 13th.
A graveside service will be held at the Rio Hondo City Cemetery at 2:00 p.m., February 14th, followed by a memorial service, 2:30 p.m., at the Community Church with Will Aten officiating.
Those who wish to do so may make memorial donations to the Community Church, P.O. Box 157, Rio Hondo; to the International Seamen’s Center, P.O. Box 4033, Brownsville, TX 78523; or to a charity of their choice.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of San Benito Funeral Home, San Benito, TX.
