Royce Rother, 81, of Hackberry, passed away March 24, 2017. He was born on November 26, 1935, with arm impairment, to Emil Aaron and Albina Smajstrala Rother in Hackberry. He married Elizabeth Mary Kutach on July 4, 1961 in Plainview, Texas. During their 55 years of marriage the couple had 4 children.

Royce was born and raised in Hackberry and was blessed to be able to raise his own family there as well. He started his working career on I-10 corridor as part of the dirt crew operating a maintainer and dozer. He went on to become a Professional Welder working at the chemical plants in Freeport. During this time he also began his farming career raising hogs and row cropping. He was one of the first coastal planting professionals in Lavaca and Fayette County. He traveled with his family to Oklahoma to physically pick up his first sprigging machine. While there he observed a coastal sprig digger and came home to build his own from scratch by memory. Later in life he began his greenhouse and garden vegetable business. He was well known for his hydroponic good tasting tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, and water chestnuts. He also had many gardens and grew watermelons, cauliflower, cabbage, squash and corn, which he sold to the local businesses. His green thumb allowed him to take cuttings from various plants at various locations and make it grow successfully. One occasion he asked Liz to put a cutting from a plant from Sea World into her purse so he could grow his own, although it was wilted beyond life, he was able to grow it successfully. He had many other interests in life, including raising several kinds of animals, watching purple martins, listening to polka music, and riding his golf cart.

Royce is survived by: his wife Elizabeth of 55 years; two sons, Allen Rother & wife Cathy of Schulenburg, Donald Rother & wife Leean of Hallettsville; two daughters, Rhonda Henneke & husband Marty, and Joyce Rainosek of Hallettsville; two brothers, James Rother & wife Mae of Appelts Hill, and Erwin Rother & wife Martha of Victoria; eight grandchildren, Alicia Garcia, Patricia Gum, Kayla Rother, Shelly Rainosek, Shawn Rainosek, Heather Henneke, Elise Rother, Hannah Henneke, and step grandchild: Jennifer Buchhorn; three great-grandchildren, Kaitlin Rother, Jayden Garcia, Colton Garcia, and two step great-grandchildren Tyler Buchhorn and Amber Buchhorn.

Royce was preceded in death by: his parents and one brother Wilbert Rother.

Funeral Mass Service: 3 pm, Thursday, March 30, 2017, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Hallettsville. Visitation: 4 pm, Wednesday, at Kubena Funeral Home; with Rosary starting at 7 pm. Officiant: Msgr. John Peters. Pallbearers: Shawn Rainosek, Pete Garcia Jr., Eric Gum, Josh Pant, Rodney Rother, and Henry Hosek. Memorials: Donor's Choice. Burial: Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery.