Obituaries

    Jordan Brooks age 92, of Edna, passed away on Sept. 11, 2014. He was born on Sept. 19, 1921 in Ganado to Fulton Brooks and Itlean Gordon Brooks.
    Visitation will be from 3 to 7 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 16 at Cook-Butler Funeral Home and Chapel in Edna. Church services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at Shiloh Baptist Church with burial at Kerr Cemetery.
    Arrangements are entrusted to Cook-Butler Funeral Home and Chapel 361-782-3821.

Calvin Rhodes, 81, of Edna, passed away on Friday, August 29, 2014.

Mr. Rhodes was one of the first African American men to be in the Port Lavaca Carpenter's Union and is a veteran on the United States Army.

A memorial service was held for Mr. Rhodes on Thursday, Sept. 11, at 1 p.m., at Shiloh Baptist Church Life Center, 604 MLK in Edna.

Tracy's M.J. Santellana Funeral Directors, Edna, in charge of arrangements, 361-782-9234.

    James Stanley Kemp, of La Ward, passed away Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014 at the age of 61. He was born in Marietta, Ga., on March 17, 1953, to the late J. Patterson Kemp and Lucile York Kemp.
    He worked hard as a welder to provide for his family, James loved fishing, reading, and taking care of his growing family. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and brother, and will be truly missed.
    James is survived by his loving devoted wife of 37 years, Delores Kemp; daughters, Julie Woodard and husband Mike, Rya Phillips and husband Ryan, Robyn Ratcliffe and husband Aaron and Valerie Kemp; son, Joshua James Kemp and fiancé Casey Gloor; sister, Ruth Lewis; brothers, Chuck Herron and Steve Raab; grandchildren,Whisper, Amelia, Elias, Ethan, Julianna, Blake and one granddaughter on the way, Jacob, Joshua and Jayden.
    He is preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Marvin Goodard; brother-in-law, Jim Lewis.

    A loving husband, father, grandfather, brother-in-law, uncle and friend, Bruce moved from his earthly home to God’s eternal kingdom on Sept. 12, 2014 after a valiantly fought battle with congestive heart failure and Alzheimer’s disease.
    Bruce was born on July 11, 1934 in Ganado, the youngest of 12 children born to Hazel and W. B. Fowler. He was preceded in death by his parents and 10 siblings.
    After graduation from Ganado High School Bruce turned down an athletic scholarship to the then Texas A & I University to follow the lure of unseen places and he joined the United States Air Force, making a career of service to his country and seeing the world.
    Upon retirement from the military in 1974, Bruce returned to his beloved Ganado and met and subsequently married the love of his life, Doris Cihal George, on Nov. 24, 1976, and she survives him.

    Martha G. 'Martina' Zambrano, of Edna, passed away Friday, Sept. 11, 1933, in Edna to the late Ben and Elvira Sanchez Garcia.
    Martha worked as a housewife for many years, Martha touched the lives of many people with her smile and generosity, and maintained her trademark sense of humor all the way to the end. She also was a loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother and great-great grandmother and will be missed dearly.
    She is survived by her daughters, Martha (Ambrose) Villela, Vera (Jose) Rodriguez, Mary Lou Zambrano, Sylvia (Jesse) Sanchez, Margarette Wright all of Edna and Ophelia (Steven) Birmingham of Victoria; sons, Frank (Norma) Zambrano Sr. and Robert (Trish) Zambrano both of Edna; sister, Louisa Siller of Edna; numerous grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.

    Helen Marie Jones Parker, 82, passed away Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2014 in Edna after a brief illness. Marie was born Dec. 03, 1931 in Oklahoma to the late Harry and Julia Jones. Marie was the youngest of six children. The Jones Clan moved to the Van Vleck area when Marie was 3 years old. At the age of 16, she married the love of her life, Joe T. Parker and they enjoyed 52 years of marriage.
     After 10 years of marriage, they welcomed their only child, Joy into their lives.
    Marie is survived by her daughter, Joy, a granddaughter, Stephanie, and her husband, Justin; and three grandsons, Chris, Alex and Raylan. Also surviving are two brothers-in-law, three sisters-in-law, six nieces, three nephews and a host of loving friends.
    Marie is preceded in death by her parents, husband, J.T., a sister, four brothers and a niece.

    Annie Stavinoha Novosad, 100, passed away on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2013. Annie was born on May 13, 1914, in Louise to the late Louis and Mary Stavinoha. She married Willie H. 'Bill' Novosad on Oct. 3, 1938 at St. Andrew's Catholic Church in Hillje.
    Annie is survived by her daughter, Shirley Enderli and husband Calvin; six grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.     She is preceded in death by her parents; husband; son; William Eugene Novosad; great-granddaughter, Lindsay Simpson; six brothers and three sisters.
    Visitation was Wednesday, Sept. 3 at 8:30 a.m., prior to a rosary at 9:30 a.m. and the funeral mass followed at 10 a.m. at Assumption Catholic Church in Ganado with the Rev. Michael Lyons officiating. Interment was in the Assumption Catholic Cemetery.
    Pallbearers were her grandsons and nephews.
    Services are under the direction of Ganado Funeral Home, 800 S. Third St., Ganado, TX 361-771-2120.

Janet Henrietta Novak, 66, of Corpus Christi, passed away Monday August 25, 2014. She was born on April 15, 1948,in Edna, to the late Henry and Annie Mae Jurek Novak. Janet was a very special lady, loved by all and will be missed by many.
    She is survived by her sisters; Gladys (husband Donald T) Orsak, Margie (husband Ronald ) Bridges, Rita (husband Michael ) Waymire, Hermina Novak and Irene Heibel, her brothers; Silvester (wife Sherry ) Novak, George (wife Jeanie ) Novak, Ervan Novak and numerous nieces and nephews and grand nieces and nephews.
    Visitation was Aug. 28 from 8:30 a.m. until Rosary at 10 a.m., with funeral services at 10:30 am, at the St. Theresa Catholic Church in LaSalle, Texas, with Rev. Johnson Owusu-Boateng officiating. Interment will be in the St. Theresa Cemetery.
    Pallbearers were Tim Bland, Johnny Novak, Scott Novak, Randy Pritchard, Shannon Waymire, and Donald Orsak.

Cleo Francis Conger, 99, passed away Sunday, Aug. 24, 2014. Cleo was born to Grace and Harry Alderson on Oct. 12, 1914. Cleo graduated from Brownwood High School and received her bachelor's degree in education from Daniel Baker College in Brownwood. She married her college sweetheart and football hero, Medford "Red" Conger, in 1937 in Weatherford and they were married for 59 years.
    Cleo taught elementary school for 31 years in O'Donnell and Vanderbilt. After retiring and moving back to Brownwood, Cleo started another career, working at Lynn-Leigh Square, a high-end dress shop and was there for 19 years.
    She was a lifelong member of First United Methodist Church in Brownwood and was active in Bible study, Eastern Star, Retired Teachers Association, Women's Club and Red Hats. Cleo was a world traveler and was always ready for a new adventure.

Paul Richard Schaffer, of Edna, passed away Saturday, Aug. 23, 2014 at the age of 59.  He was born on Sept. 27, 1954  in East St. Louis, Mo., to the late Rockne M. Schaffer and Gloria Schillinger Argo.
    Paul was a father, husband, godfather and a good friend. He was very friendly to everybody. He was also a member of the Edna Volunteer Fire Department and was retired from Point Comfort Railroad. After retirement he enjoyed mowing lawns and going to coffee at A.J.’s. He loved helping others and he also donated his organs to help others live. We will miss him dearly.
    Paul is survived by his loving wife Nancy Lopez  Shaffer; mother, Gloria Schillinger Argo; daughter, Alecia Sparkman and husband Lynn of Edna; son, Rockne Schaffer of Edna; sister, Roxanne Garza and husband Alan of Carrizo Springs; brother, Donald Schaffer and wife Marie of Edna; and numerous nieces and nephews.
    Paul is preceded in death by his father.