Obituaries

April 2003 Obituary Listings

Isaiah Arias of Hondo passed away April 23, 2003, at the age of six months and 13 days. He was born Oct. 10, 2002, in San Antonio. He is survived by his parents, Rene Antonio and Christine (Martinez) Arias; sister, Catherine Rene Arias; brother, Rene Antonio Arias Jr., all of Hondo. Funeral service was held at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 27, at Guinn-Horger Chapel. Interment was in Hondo Cemetery, Guadalupe Section.

Marguerite Bendele, age 93, passed away April 28, 2003, in Pearsall. She was born February 7, 1910, in Palacios. Funeral service was at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, April 30, at the Guinn-Horger Funeral Home. Interment followed at the Hondo Cemetery, Oakwood Section.

Eliezer Anthony Bernal, age 39, of Hondo, passed away April 17, 2003, as the result of an automobile accident.   He was born June 13, 1963, in Hondo.   Rosary was recited at 7 p.m. Monday, Apr. 21, led by Epifania Ybarra.   Funeral Mass was celebrated by Rev. Jeff Pehl at 10 a.m. Tuesday, with both services at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church. Interment was in Hondo Cemetery, Guadalupe Section.

Raymond Patrick Billalobos, age 26, passed away Friday, April 11, 2003. He was born in Hondo, Jan. 12, 1977.     Funeral service was at 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 15, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church with Msgr. Adolfo Valdivia-Aquirre officiating. Interment followed in St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery.

Arlene Lois Brown, age 68, of Pipe Creek passed away, April 17, 2003, in San Antonio. She was born May 24, 1934, in Providence, RI.     A private service was held Tuesday, Apr. 22.

Isidra Contreras, age 64, passed away April 29, 2003, in San Antonio. She was born May 15, 1938, in Hondo.   Rosary was at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 2, and the Funeral Mass was at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 3, both at the St. John the Evangelist Catholic
Church. Interment followed at the Hondo Cemetery, Guadalupe Section.

Roy Calvin Durbon, age 84, a 30-year resident of Rockwall, passed away April 20, 2003. Born April 24, 1918, in Crystal City and growing up on a farm, he spent his formative years in the area of D'Hanis, Hondo, Sabinal, Utopia and San Antonio. A rosary service was held Tuesday at 7 p.m. Funeral service was at 10:30
a.m., Wednesday, at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church, Rockwall, with Rev. William Richard officiating.
    A service was also be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, Apr. 24, at St. Henry's Catholic Church, San Antonio. Interment at 1:45 p.m. at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery.

Douglas V. Downing, 76, of Devine passed away Friday, April 18, 2003, in San Antonio.   Funeral service was held Monday, Apr. 21, 2 p.m., in the Hurley Funeral Home Chapel, Devine. Interment was in Evergreen Cemetery.

Josephine Rosa Lessing Echtle, age 93, passed away Monday, Apr. 7, 2003, in San Antonio. She was born Jan. 13, 1910, in MacDonald. Visitation was Wednesday, at the Tondre-Guinn Chapel and at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church, where the Rosary was held at 7 p.m.      Funeral Mass was celebrated Thursday, Apr. 10, 10 a.m, at Our Lady
Queen of Heaven Catholic Church in Macdona. Interment at Our Lady of Grace Cemetery in La Coste.

Alice E. Gabehart, 92, of Devine passed away Friday, April 25, 2003, at Lytle Nursing Home.    Visitation was Tuesday at Hurley Funeral Home. The funeral service was
held Wednesday, April 30, at 1 p.m. in the Chapel of Hurley Funeral Home. Interment was in St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery.

Ella Leick Goforth, born Nov. 7, 1910, passed away April 7, 2003.    Visitation was held Wednesday, Apr. 9, at Zizik-Kearns Riebe-Saunders Funeral Home. Funeral service was at 10 a.m. Thursday, Apr. 10, at the funeral home. Burial followed at the Stapper Phile Cemetery.

Theresita Flores Gomez, age 56, born Mar. 3, 1947, passed from this life April 8, 2003.   Visitation was Thursday, Apr. 10. Mass was celebrated Apr. 11, at St.
John's Catholic Church. Interment followed at the Hondo City Cemetery.

Estella G. Gonzales, 81, passed away Saturday, April 12, 2003, in Hondo. She was born February 27, 1922, in Hondo.   Visitation was Monday, Apr. 14, at Guinn-Horger Chapel with at prayer service at 7 p.m. The funeral service was at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Guinn- Horger Funeral Home with Pastors Charles Schlentz and Ramiro Robles and Rev. Jeff Pehl participating. Interment was at the Hondo Cemetery, Guadalupe Section.

Maria Garza Gonzales, age 95, of Hondo passed away April 28, 2003.      Funeral Mass was at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Apr. 30, at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, San Antonio. Interment was in Hondo Cemetery,
Guadalupe Section.

Alvera Annie Griffo, age 81, of San Antonio and formerly of Devine, passed away Tuesday, April 22, 2003. She was born in Devine, February 9, 1922.
Graveside service was at 2 p.m., Sunday, April 27, at St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery with Msgr. Adolfo Valdivia- Aguirre officiating.

Angie Lou Haller, age 86, of Von Ormy passed away in San Antonio, April 29, 2003. She was born in Terrell on July 19, 1916.    Graveside service was at 10 a.m. Friday, May 2, at Heickman Cemetery, Somerset, with Rev. Janice Petty officiating.

Anna Margaret "Ann" Kirby, age 53, of Mico passed away Apr. 18, 2003, as the result of an automobile accident. She was born May 20, 1949, in Oklahoma
City.   Funeral service was at 2 p.m. Monday, Apr. 21, at Northside Church of Christ, San Antonio. Interment was in Mission Park Burial Park North, San Antonio.

Martha Wilhemina (Grah-mann) Koch, age 84, of D'Hanis passed away April 28, 2003, in D'Hanis. She was born in Hallettsville, Dec. 8, 1918. Rosary was recited at 9:30 a.m. Friday, May 2. Funeral Mass was at 10 a.m., con-elebrated by Bishop Charles Grahmann of Dallas, Father Wallis Stiles of D'Hanis and Rev. Jeff Pehl of Hondo at Holy Cross Church, D'Hanis. Eulogy was given by Henry J. Lutz and singing was by the D'Hanis and Hondo choirs. Interment was in Holy Cross Cemetery.

Betty Jo Lancaster, age 66, of Luling, passed away Tuesday, Apr. 8, 2003.      Funeral service was held Friday, Apr. 11, 10 a.m., at Trinity Lutheran Church, in Luling. Interment at the Hondo Cemetery, Oakwood
Section, at 3 p.m.

Ollie Dean Cowan Langston, "Granny," went to be with her Lord on April 19, 2003, in Sabinal. She was born in Maud, OK, on Nov. 4, 1935.    Graveside service was held Monday, Apr. 21, 10 a.m., at Sabinal Cemetery
with Ray Murr officiating.

Edward William Lutz, age 84, of D'Hanis passed away April 20, 2003. He was born Nov. 15, 1918, in D'Hanis.    Rosary was recited at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Apr. 22, with Funeral Mass following at Holy Cross Catholic Church, D'Hanis. Interment was in Holy Cross Cemetery with Fr. Wallis J. Stiles officiating.

William Bryan Martin, age 79, of Hondo passed away Wednesday, April 2, 2003. He was born in Vera (Knox Co.), Nov. 2, 1923.     A memorial service was held Thursday, Apr. 10, 3 p.m., at First Baptist Church, Hondo, with Chaplain Ed Gates officiating.

John E. McCall Jr., 75, of Atascosa passed away Wednesday, April 30, 2003, at his residence. Funeral service was held Saturday, May 3, at 1 p.m. in the chapel of Hurley Funeral Home, Devine. A Masonic service, under the auspices of Atascosa Lodge #379, A.F. & A.M., was held in the funeral home chapel and interment in Lytle Masonic Cemetery with full military honors.

Thomas William Meredith, age 74, of Big Pine Key, FL, passed away, April 19, 2003, in that city. He was born Nov. 4, 1927, at McKees Port, PA. Visitation was held from 1 to 3 p.m. and the funeral service at 3 p.m. Thursday, Apr. 24, at Guinn-Horger Chapel, Hondo. Interment in Holy Cross Cemetery, D'Hanis.

Florencio R. Monreal, age 86, of Devine passed away Wednesday, April 30, 2003, in San Antonio. He was born in Devine, Nov. 7, 1916. Funeral service was at 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 6, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church with Msgr. Adolfo Valdivia-Aguirre officiating. Interment followed in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, San Antonio.

Debbie Cade Mumme, 54, of Lubbock died Wednesday, April 2, 2003, in Lubbock after a brief illness. She was born July 22, 1948, in Lubbock. The family received friends at the funeral home Thursday evening. The funeral service was Friday, Apr. 4, 2 p.m., at First United Methodist Church, Slaton, with Rev. Steve Campbell officiating. Burial was in Englewood Cemetery.

Dolores R. Padron Jr., age 49, of Devine passed away Friday, April 4, 2003, in San Antonio. He was born in Hondo, August 19, 1953. Funeral service was at 10 a.m. Monday, April 7, at Hurley Funeral Home
Chapel with Dr. Glenn Young officiating. Interment followed in St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery.

Juan "Boy" Ignacio Soliz Ramirez Jr., age 45, of Weiser, ID, passed away Thursday, April 24, 2003, at a Boise hospital. Juan was born Aug. 13, 1957, in Hondo. Funeral mass was at 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 30, at St. Agnes Church, Weiser, ID.

Thomas Richards, "the Melanoma Warrior", age 58, of Hondo, began his new life Apr. 8, 2003. Tom was born Dec. 4, 1944 in Bauxite, AR.     Visitation will be Thursday, Apr. 10, 12 noon till 9 p.m. and a
"Remembering Tom" service will begin at 7 p.m. at Tondre-Guinn Funeral Home, Castroville.      Funeral service was held Friday, Apr. 11, at 10 a.m. at the New Fountain United Methodist Church, 2980 FM 2676 in New Fountain, 830-426-4219.

Steve John Guerra Rymers, age 48, of Castroville passed away on Apr. 13, 2003, in San Antonio. Steve was born Mar. 11, 1955, in Castroville.    Visitation was Tuesday, Apr. 15, and Rosary was held at 7 p.m. at Tondre-Guinn Funeral Home. Funeral Mass was celebrated Wednesday at 10 a.m. at St. Louis Catholic Church in Castroville. Interment was at St. Louis Cemetery in Castroville.

Timothy Ray Simmons, age 41, of Castroville passed away Apr. 15, 2003, at his home. He was born Apr. 18, 1961, in San Antonio.    The funeral service was at 1 p.m. Friday, Apr. 18, at Grace Community Church with Rev. Kent Carnley officiating. Interment was at the Castroville
Community Cemetery.

Clarence Robert "Bobby" Van Fleet, age 77, of Rockwall passed away peacefully April 29, 2003, in Dallas.       Military services and interment were held at the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery.

James Frank Whitehead Sr. age 53, of Lytle passed away, Monday, March 31, 2003. He was born in Lytle on April 7, 1949.    Funeral service was at 9 a.m. Friday, April 4, at Lytle Church of Christ with Dan Pitts, Minister, officiating. Interment followed in Lytle Community Cemetery.

Retired Air Force Master Sergeant David H. Weaver passed away in Ft. Worth on April 16, 2003, at the age of 90.   A private committal service was conducted at the Dallas-Ft. Worth National Cemetery with full honors.

Hulda Nellie Schneider Wiemers, age 102, of Hondo passed away April 21, 2003. She was born April 22, 1900, at Field Creek, Llano County, to John and
Alvina Kothmann Schneider.     Funeral service was at 10 a.m. Thursday, Apr. 24, at New Fountain United Methodist Church, with Dr. Wm. Treude officiating. Interment followed in Hondo Cemetery, Oakwood Section.

Reyna Zamarripa, age 58, born Dec. 19, 1944, passed from this life, April 13, 2003. Visitation was Monday, Apr. 14, with Holy Rosary recited at 7 p.m. Mass was celebrated at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Apr. 15, at St. John's Catholic Church.