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Albert R. Smith, Sr.
Indian Lake/Los Fresnos, TX — Albert Richard Smith, Sr., died on Monday, December 8, 2003 at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen, Texas. Mr. Smith, the son of John Albert Smith and Virgie Snowflake Smith was born September 9, 1928 in Des Moines, Iowa. After Mr. Smith returned home from serving four years in the U.S. Navy, he married Jeri L. Mealey on November 5, 1949 and became the beloved Father of their children, Vickie, Albert Jr., Rickie and Arthur.
Mr. Smith, who was the Chief Engineer of Bankers Life Insurance Company (now known as The Principle), Des Moines, Iowa, was responsible for administering classification tests for the State of Iowa engineers. He worked as a U.S. Postal Carrier for a short time before becoming the Building Superintendent of the YWCA in Des Moines, Iowa. In 1972, Mr. Smith became a Maintenance/Mechanic Repairman at Bridgestone/Firestone Tire & Rubber. Additionally, he was self-employed as the owner of a janitorial cleaning service. After retiring in November 1985, Mr. and Mrs. Smith permanently relocated to Texas in June 1986 where he became the Supervisor for Great Destinations during the South Padre Island spring breaks for 6 years. Periodically throughout the next 8 years, he was the Building Inspector for the Town of Indian Lake.
Mr. Smith was a member of the Experimental Aircraft Assocation for many years. He was the Team Captain of the HOBO Bowling Club. He loved to boat, water ski, play golf and solo fly his Uncle Dave’s plane. His greatest joy was taking motorcycle trips throughout the Continental United States, Canada, and Alaska with family and friends. Mr. Smith who was a "jack of all trades" was skilled in working with his hands which included being an expert in woodcrafts.
In addition to his loving wife and four children, Mr. Smith adored his 10 grandchildren – Chase, Arthur Jr., Rick II, Chasity, Summer, Angelica, Donna, Debra, Tony and Jeremiah. His great grandchildren are Samantha, Rickie III, Jennifer, Austin, Brittany, Alex, Shawna, Anthony, Mercedez, Mary Elizabeth, and Vanessa.
Mr. Smith is survived by his brothers, Earl, Ralph, Daniel, Roy, Tim, Dowell, Joel and Marvin; and sisters, Darlene, Barb, and Ruby, Mary, Joan and Pearl.
He was preceded in death by his five brothers, Johnny, Hank, Joe, Hural and Chuck.
His step-Mother, Katherine Schirner also survives him.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, December 11, 2003 at San Benito Funeral Home from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. with the family receiving friends from 5 p.m to 7 p.m.
Chapel service will be held on Friday, December 12, 2003 at San Benito Funeral Home at 2 p.m. with military honors conducted by American Legion Post 205 and VFW Post 2410.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of San Benito Funeral Home, San Benito, Texas.
Melquiades Rincon
HARLINGEN, TX — Melquiades B. Rincon, 86, entered into eternal rest on Monday, December 8, 2003 at his home. He was preceded in death by his son, Heliodoro Rincon; and wife, Maria M. Rincon.
He is survived by his son, Paul Rincon of Houston, TX; daughter, Irene (Emilio) Leos of Harlingen, TX; and his daughter-in-law, Maria T. Rincon; his granddaughters, Elizabeth Rincon of Austin, TX, Gloria Rincon of San Antonio, Ninfa Morris of Harlingen, TX; grandchildren, Paul and Sarah Leos; and great- grandchildren, James, Michael and Christian Morris. Funeral services will be held today, December 10, 2003 at 2:00 PM at Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church with Deacon Ignacio Gonzalez as the celebrant. Mr. Rincon will then be laid to rest next to his wife, Maria M. Rincon at Ashland Memorial Park Cemetery in Harlingen, TX.
Pallbearers will be Paul Rincon, Emilio Leos, Paul Rincon, Federico Perales, Maria T. Rincon and Gloria Rincon. Mr.
Rincon was a loving husband, father and grandfather. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Rudy Garza Funeral Home in Harlingen.
Sofia C. Gutierrez
SAN BENITO, TX — Sofia C. Gutierrez, 89, of San Benito, Texas passed away at Valley Baptist Medical Center on December 7, 2003.
Mrs. Gutierrez was a lifetime resident of San Benito and member of St. Benedicts Catholic Church.
Survivors include 2 daughters, Petra (Ruben) Aguirre of San Benito, Damiana (Juan Jose) Garza of San Benito; 1 son, Armando (Maria) Gutierrez of San Benito; 27 grandchildren; several great grandchildren and great great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Policarpio Gutierrez; daughter, Herminia Martinez; 4 grandchildren; 1 brother, Antonio Caballero; 2 sisters, Ester Quiroz and Guadalupe Longoria.
Visitation will be held 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesday, December 9, 2003 with a Holy Rosary starting at 7 p.m. at Thomae Garza Funeral Chapel.
Funeral services will begin 2 p.m., Wednesday, December 10, 2003 at St. Benedicts Catholic Church. Interment will follow to Mont Meta Memorial Park.
Pallbearers will be Juan Garza III, Martin Garza, Cirilo Garza, Ruben Aguirre, Jr., Roberto Aguirre and Ricardo Aguirre.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Thomae Garza Funeral Directors, 395 S. Sam Houston, San Benito, 956-399-1331.
Raul Serrato
Harlingen — Raul Serrato, 44, entered into rest on Friday in Galveston, TX. Mr. Serrato was a lifelong resident of Harlingen and was preceded in death by his father Agapito Serato, Sr., and sisters Inocencia Rodriguez and Mary Martina Valles.
He is survived by his wife Enedina Serrato; step-daughters Yvette and Yvonne Chavez; step-grandson Matthew Chavez; sisters Maria De Jesus Espinoza, Ana Serrato; brothers Francisco Serrato, Israel Serrato, Presciliano Serrato all of Harlingen, TX, Baltazar Serrato of California, and Agapito Serrato, Jr. of San Benito, TX; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held today, Monday, December 8, 2003 from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. at the Rudy Garza Chapel of Angels with the Holy rosary to be prayed at 7 p.m. The funeral procession will depart the Rudy Garza Funeral Home on Tuesday, December 9, 2003 at 9:30 a.m. for a 10 a.m. Mass of Christian burial at Queen of Peace Catholic Church. Interment will follow at Ashland Memorial Park Cemetery in Harlingen, TX.
Pallbearers will be Frank Serrato, Jr., Christopher James Serrato, Ron Alexander Rodriguez, Agapito Serrato, III, Israel Serrato and Luis Valles.
Philip Sheen McCabe
San Marcos, TX — Philip Sheen McCabe, 61, San Marcos, TX, passed away on December 5, 2003 at his home in San Marcos. He was born on December 12, 1941 in Rio Hondo, TX, to Vincent Lawrence and Edna (Gann) McCabe.
Philip is preceded in death by his father, Vincent L. McCabe and sisters, Donna McCabe Bazar and Ann Rita McCabe Rodriguez.
He is survived by his mother, Edna G. McCabe of San Marcos; brother Michael McCabe of Angleton, his wife Grace, and children Lisa McCabe-Luedecke and Michael Patrick McCabe; brother Dr. Dennis McCabe of Stephenville, his wife Mary Lou, and children Brian and Tim McCabe; brother Dr. Tom McCabe of San Marcos, his wife Susan, and children Scott, Kevin and Glenn; brother Dr. Terry McCabe of San Marcos, his wife Diann, and children Joe and Sam McCabe; nephew, Adam Rodriguez (son of sister Ann Rita McCabe Rodriguez); sister Peggy McCabe of Austin, and son Eric Robinson; and brother Jim McCabe of Driftwood, his wife Jo, and children Casey and Kristy McCabe. Philip has 5 great nieces and nephews.
Philip served in the United States Navy. During this time, he was in the Vietnam War where he earned the Bronze Star. He also served in the United States Merchant Marines and later worked in an air conditioning business.
Philip was a wonderful man who was dearly loved by his family. His memory will forever live in their hearts.
Visitation will begin at 1 p.m., with a Celebration of Life service to follow at 2 p.m., Sunday, December 7, 2003 at Pennington Memorial Chapel in San Marcos. Graveside Services will be conducted at 11 a.m., Wednesday, December 10, 2003, at Mount Meta Cemetery in San Benito, Texas.
Arrangements under the care and guidance of Pennington Funeral Home, 323 N. Comanche, San Marcos, TX 78666, 512-353-4311.
Betty Stafford Bidlack Grieswell
WESLACO, TX — Betty Grieswell, a longtime Valley resident, passed away Thursday, December 4, 2003 at Knapp Medical Center in Weslaco.
She was born June 24, 1920 in Wellington, Kansas to Warren and Lela Stafford. She received her Registered Nursing degree in 1941 from the Newman Memorial Hospital Nursing School in Emporia, Kansas. Following WWII, she and her first husband, W. H. "Willie" Bidlack, settled in Donna in 1945 and later in Weslaco. She continued her nursing career at McCalip-Ivy Hospital until 1962 and then as night supervisor at Knapp Medical Center until her retirement in 1975.
All who knew her professionally remember the deep, personal concern she had for each patient, her unfailing good humor, consummate professionalism and the wonderful rapport she developed with hospital staff.
Long before there were formal nurse training programs in the Valley, hundreds of nursing aides, orderlies and student nurses learned from example and instruction how to do their jobs correctly and to the very best of their ability.
She supported her daughters in their school and extracurricular activities, served as Girl Scout leader in Donna and Weslaco and was active in the First Presbyterian Church in Weslaco.
In 1970, five years after the death of her husband, she was married to George Grieswell until his death in 1994. They enjoyed traveling in their motor home and square dancing.
Betty is survived by her daughters, Janet Kay Bidlack (John) Porter of Weslaco and Jo Ann Bidlack (Jim) Robertson of Corpus Christi; three grandchildren, James (Melissa) Robertson, Kerry (Marshall) Lott and Jacqueline (Bill) Swearingen; and three great-grandchildren.
A funeral service will be held today, Saturday, December 6, 2003 at 3 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in Donna, with the Rev. Elizabeth Smith, Pastor, officiating the service.
Interment and graveside services will be held on Monday, December 8, 2003 at 2 p.m. at Greenwood Cemetery in Fort Worth, Texas.
Arrangements are under the direction of McCaleb Funeral Home in Weslaco.
Harold Howard Redding
ALAMO, TX — Harold Howard Redding, 85, passed away December 3, 2003 at his residence in Alamo.
He was born on October 25, 1918 in Liberty, North Carolina. He served his country in the United States Navy during the Korean War and World War II and was a longtime resident of North Alamo.
Funeral services will be held today, Friday, December 5, 2003 at 2 p.m. at McCaleb Funeral Home Chapel in Weslaco.
Officiating at the service will be Father Pat Seitz of St. Pius Catholic Church in Weslaco.
Interment will follow at a later date in North Carolina.
Arrangements are under the direction of McCaleb Funeral Home in Weslaco.
Guadalupe Maldonado, Sr.
SANTA MARIA, TX — Guadalupe Maldonado, Sr., passed away December 2, 2003 at McAllen Medical Center. He was born in Mercedes and was a long time resident of Santa Maria.
He is survived by three sons, Guadalupe (Yolanda) Maldonado, Jr. of Eagle Pass, TX, Oscar (Rosa Hilda) Maldonado of Harlingen, Santiago "Jimmy" Maldonado of Santa Rosa; one daughter, Esperanza (Christopher) Walczak of San Diego, CA. Also surviving are two brothers, Ruben Maldonado of Santa Maria and Antonio Maldonado of La Feria; and 10 grandchildren.
Visitation will begin Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the funeral home chapel with a rosary to be prayed at 7:00 p.m.
Funeral service will be held Friday at 10:00 a.m. at St. Margaret Ann Catholic Church of Santa Maria with burial following at Zacatal Cemetery in Santa Maria.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Garcia & Trevino Funeral Home of Mercedes.
Juana V. Gonzalez
LA FERIA, TX — Juana V. Gonzalez, 98, entered into rest on Monday at her residence.
Mrs. Gonzalez was a lifelong resident of La Feria and was preceded in death by her husband, Baldomero Gonzalez.
She is survived by her loving daughters, Nympha (Noe) De La Fuente of La Feria, TX, Virginia (Wallace) McMillian of Alamo, TX; son, Baldomero Gonzales of Chicago, IL; five grandchildren, Noe De La Fuente, Jr., Tina De La Fuente, Annette Jalifi, Marcos Gonzales and Raul Gonzales; and five great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be held today, Wednesday, December 3, 2003 from 10 AM until 9 PM at Rudy Garza Palms Chapel of Peace with the Holy rosary to be prayed at 7 PM.
The funeral procession will depart the Rudy Garza Palms Funeral Chapel on Thursday, December 4, 2003 at 9:30 AM for a 10 AM Mass of Christian burial at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church with Fr. Andre Kazadi as the celebrant. Interment will follow at Restlawn Memorial Park Cemetery in La Feria, TX. Pallbearers will Mrs. Gonzalez’s family and friends.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Rudy Garza Funeral Home, La Feria, Texas.
Bobbie Jones
HARLINGEN, TX — Bobbie Fern (Reneau) Jones was born in Amarillo, TX, January 2, 1927 to Maloy and Gaber Reneau. She went to be with the Lord on January 25, 2004 at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen, TX.
She was preceded in death by her parents; a sister, Rosetta; a brother, Coy Edwin; a sister, Clowa and her husband, Bo Jones.
Bobbie and Bo were married June 1, 1968 and they ultimately spent the last 21 years of their married lives in Tyler, TX. Bo died in May 2001. Bobbie moved to Harlingen, TX in March of 2002 where she resided until her death Sunday evening.
Bobbie spent her youth in Iowa Park, TX where she married and had four children, Dennis (Becky) Mitchell of Harlingen, TX, Linda Mitchell of Pensacola, FL, Michael (Judy) Mitchell of Iowa Park, TX, and Lea Ann (Tom) Olson of Great Falls, VA. To her grandchildren she was known as Nana and she had 9 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.
Bobbie was an active member of Southside Baptist Church of Tyler, TX and First Baptist Church in Harlingen, TX. Her love of her entire family and friends was only exceeded by her love and confidence in our Lord. To her credit she made absolutely sure that all of her children met Jesus Christ and that they are now currently in fellowship of our Lord. She was a great Mother, a wonderful mentor and confidant, and a Nana surpassed by none. She will be missed.
Funeral services will be held at the Tyler Memorial Funeral Home in Tyler, TX, 3 p.m., Wednesday, January 28, 2004, with the Rev. Ron Wells officiating. Burial will follow at Tyler Memorial Park.
Visitation hours will be held Tuesday, January 27, 2004, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Tyler Memorial Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be Michael Mitchell, Scott Mitchell, Trey Mitchell, Tod Mitchell, Brandon Jones, and Steve Black.
Local arrangements are under the direction of Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home.
Martiniano De La Fuente
LA FERIA — Martiniano De La Fuente, 82, entered into rest on January 24, 2004 in Harlingen.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Maria De Socorro De La Fuente.
He is survived by nine children, Susanna Castilleja (David) of St. Louis, MO, Sofia Benavidez (Robert) of Winter Haven, Fl., Manuel De La Fuente (Ramona) of San Benito, Mario De La Fuente (Janie) of Winter Haven, Fl., Erasmo De La Fuente (Maria de Jesus) of Pasadena, TX, Martin De La Fuente, Jr. (Rita) of Lapeer, MI., Paula Villarreal (Americo) of Winter Haven, FL, Juan Miguel De La Fuente (Julia) of La Feria, and Jesus De La Fuente (Lydia) of San Antonio; one brother, Jorge De La Fuente of Brownsville; two sisters, Maria Isabel Revulcava of Raymondville, and Paula Ruelas of Santa Maria; 30 grandchildren and 38 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be held today, January 26, 2004 from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. with a rosary to be prayed at 7 p.m. at the Rudy Garza Chapel of Peace in Harlingen. The funeral will be held on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 departing the funeral home at 9:30 a.m. for a 10 a.m. Mass of Christian burial at Queen of Peace Catholic Church with Father Matt as celebrant. Interment will follow at Mont Meta Memorial Park Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Manuel De La Fuente, Mario De La Fuente, Erasmo De La Fuente, Martin De La Fuente, Jr., Juan Miguel De La Fuente, and Jesus De La Fuente.
Arrangements are under the direction of Rudy Garza Funeral Home in Harlingen.
