obituaries

Feb 3, 2016

Anton Frank Okruhlik, 87, of Praha, TX, passed away Feb. 3, 2016. He was born on Dec. 3, 1928 to John & Anna Jasek Okruhlik in Praha, TX. He was the youngest of 12 children.

Anton was a farmer and also raised cattle, hogs and chickens. He was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Praha;...

Jan 19, 2016

Lillie Marie Sitka, 86, of St. Mary's, passed away, Jan. 19, 2016. She was born on Aug. 7, 1929 to Paul & Hedwig Leopold Etzler in Lavaca County, TX. She was a member of St. Mary's Altar Society, Sacred Heart Quilting Circle, and St. Mary's Catholic Church.

Lillie married Leon D. Sitka on Oct. 26, 1949 at...

Jan 18, 2016

Frank P. Henke, 94, of Hallettsville passed away peacefully at his home on Monday, January 18, 2016. He was surrounded by his loving family, who prayed in thankfulness to God for the gift of his life. He was a loving husband and wonderful Daddy. He was born April 3, 1921 in Hallettsville to Joseph and Amelia Janecek Henke. He...

Jan 17, 2016

Dorothy Kahanek Ponton, 87, of Hallettsville, passed away Jan. 17, 2016. She was born on Nov. 17, 1928 to Frank Alois & Lillian Satsky Kahanek in Hallettsville. She was a member of the Order of the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi, animal and environmental organizations, and Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Hallettsville.

Dorothy graduated from Hallettsville...

Jan 15, 2016

Marionell Hemmi Smothers, 83, of Hallettsville, passed away Jan. 15, 2016. She was born on Dec. 31, 1932 to Lutzie & Myrtle Phelps Hemmi in Lavaca County, TX. She married Henry Leon Smothers on Mar. 31, 1955 in Victoria. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Hallettsville.

Marionell is survived by: 2 sons, Kenneth J....

Jan 14, 2016

Henry Joseph Kostelnik Sr., 66, of Hallettsville, passed away on January 14, 2016. He was born on June 28, 1949 to the late Joe and Lydia (Pivonka) Kostelnik and grew up on a small farm in Wied. He married Ann Marie (Novak) Kostelnik on May 24, 1969 in the Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Hallettsville. Together they had two...

Jan 11, 2016

Arnold Frank Bohuslav, 84, of Hallettsville, passed away Jan. 11, 2016. He was born on Sept. 12, 1931 to Bohumil & Lillie Holub Bohuslav in Lavaca County, TX. He was the fourth of seven children including his stepsister. As a young boy, he attended the Komensky School until the tenth grade, when he dropped out to work at the...

Jan 10, 2016

RITA ZARUBA, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, friend, volunteer, avid bridge and domino player, and lifelong friend of Hallettsville, passed away on Sunday, January 10th, 2016 at age 79 from complications from a stroke. She was born on the family farm in Lavaca County, Texas on September 16, 1936 to the late Nicholas Grahmann and Annie Grafe Grahmann. She was the...

Jan 2, 2016

Opal Elaine Morris Layton, 73, of Corpus Christi, Texas, went to be with Our Lord and Savior on January 2nd, 2016 after a long battle with failing health. Born June 24, 1942, in Bee County, TX, to Edward and Dorothy Dobrilla Morris, she was the youngest of 6 sisters and had a younger brother. She grew up in the...

Dec 26, 2015

Delbert Wayne Castleman, 64, of Eagle Lake, TX, passed away December 26, 2015. He was born on March 17, 1951 to Thomas Delbert & Ima Lorena Gregory Castleman in Hallettsville, TX. His family settled in Katy, TX and he grew up with his two sisters. He later married Marlene Labay from Garwood, TX on September 6, 1974. Together they...

Dec 25, 2015

James Hugh Walker, 85, of Clute, passed on to his eternal life as the sun rose in the early morning of December 25, 2015. He had been in failing health for the past several months and his journey in this earthly life was done, and his faith and lot in life was proven.

James was born on...

Dec 22, 2015

Gus Anthony Berkenhoff passed away unexpectedly of a heart attack at the age of 67 on December 22nd, 2015 in his hometown of Hallettsville.   He was born on September 14, 1948 in Hallettsville to the late Julia Riebschlaeger and Gus Berkenhoff Sr. Gus is survived by his wife: Cathy Berkenhoff; children Misty Targac and husband Chris, and Mindy Bogan...

Dec 22, 2015

Billy Joe Valenta Jr., 58, of Hallettsville, passed away Dec. 22, 2015. He was born on Oct. 28, 1957 to Billy & Nellie Karl Valenta in Yoakum.

Billy is survived by: his father Billy Valenta Sr. of Hallettsville; son Billy Valenta III of Schulenburg; brother Karl Valenta & wife Jackie of Columbus; 2 sisters, Brenda Gideon &...

Dec 20, 2015

Bea K. Reeves, 80, of Hallettsville, passed away Dec. 20, 2105. She was born on July 9, 1935 to Joseph & Justina Roznovsky Kolos in Hallettsville. She married Charlie Reeves on May 29, 1954 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Hallettsville. She was a member of Sacred Heart Church in Hallettsville.

Bea is survived by: 2 sons,...

Dec 15, 2015

Theresa Veronica Melnar Tuttle, 79, of Fulshear, TX, made a peaceful transition to eternal life on December 15, 2015. Celebrating her family-filled life and missing her tremendously are Frank Donald Tuttle, Sr., of Fulshear, TX, the love of her life and her husband of 56 years; her daughter Sheila Tuttle Carter and husband Doyle of Baton Rouge, La; her...

Dec 15, 2015

Ruby Joyce Mayer, 68, of Hallettsville, passed away Dec. 15, 2015. She was born on June 8, 1947 to Alfred & Jessie Judd Filla in Hallettsville. She married Larry Mayer on Aug. 8, 1964 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Hallettsville. She was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Hallettsville.

In her spare time, Ruby...

Dec 9, 2015

Wayne Renger, 79, was born in Hallettsville Texas to Dr. and Mrs. Harvey Renger Sr. on August 24, 1936. He died December 9, 2015.

Wayne would go to any length to please the people he loved. He certainly agreed with the expression "Say it with flowers!" Those he thought deserving were often besieged with floral arrangements, often...

Dec 2, 2015

Ruth Roth, 95, of Hallettsville, died peacefully December 2, 2015, at DeTar Hospital, Victoria, TX, from complications of pneumonia following a long bout with Alzheimer's Disease.   She was born July 3, 1920, along with her twin sister, Ruby, in Yoakum, Texas, to Alonzo Alenson Riggs and Ella Belle Hoover Riggs. She was one of five siblings: Olive Wagener, Dorothy...

Nov 20, 2015

Evelyn Merle Killough, 85, of Hallettsville, passed away November 20, 2015. She was born on September 9, 1930 to Agon and Beulah (St. Clair) Langhoff in Dreyer, Texas. Evelyn was a graduate of Shiner High School. She married Oliver L. Killough, Jr. on September 16, 1951 at United Evangelical Lutheran Dr. Martin Luther Church in Shiner, Texas.

...

Nov 18, 2015

Bennie Joe Kresta , 90, of Hallettsville, passed away Nov. 18, 2015. He was born on May 31, 1925 to Joseph & Julia Rabel Kresta. He married Helen Pauline Etzler on Nov. 25, 1947 in Hallettsville, TX.

Bennie is survived by: 1 son Eugene Kresta & wife Karla of Moulton, TX; 2 daughters Mary Ann...