Obituaries

    William 'Harvey' Weakley, 72, of Ganado, passed away on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2014. He was born Dec. 22, 1944, in Needville to the late Ewell and Elizabeth Sills Weakley.
    He was a hard-working, honest man who was loved by his family. He retired after working 30 years in the Palacios area for General Telephone Company. Having spent most of his adult life living and working in Palacios, he and his wife settled in the Ganado area during the last years of his life.

    Alfred Ray Molina Sr., of Edna, passed away peacefully with his wife and family by his side on Monday, Feb. 24, 2014 at the age of 60.  He was born Feb. 19, 1954, in Edna to the late Antonio and Cecilia Garcia Molina.
    Alfred worked as a diesel mechanic for Alamo Concrete for 41 years. He was a loving and devoted husband, father, brother and grandfather who will be missed dearly.

Anthony “Tony” Gerdes, of Edna passed away Monday, Feb. 24, 2014, at the age of 91. He was born May 11, 1922, in Hallettsville to the late Anthony Martin Gerdes Sr. and Annie Gertude Hill Gerdes.
    Tony served in the U.S. Army during World War II, stationed in the Philippines. He also owned a dry cleaning business in Edna formerly called Courtesy Cleaners.
    He is survived by his wife, Leverette Lanette Derrick Gerdes; daughters; Delores Marshall of Houston and Nancy Gerdes of Edna; sons, Dr. Anthony Martin Gerdes III of New York and Christopher Lee Gerdes of Sugar Land; 11 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and many loving family members and friends.
    Tony is preceded in death by his parents; six sisters and six brothers.

    Maime R. Garza, 82, passed away Friday, Feb. 21, 2014. She was born Aug. 23, 1931 in Sinton to the late Medardo and Gertrudes Hinojosa Ramirez.
     Maime is survived by her daughters, Dora Robles and husband John, Becky Woods and husband Patrick, and Irma Gomez and husband Rick; son, Joseph J. Garza, Jr. and wife Linda; two brothers, Medardo "Ram" Ramirez and Manuel Andalzua, Jr.; nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, also a special friend Juan Rodriguez.
    She was preceded in death by her parents; and husband Joseph J. Garza, Sr.
    Visitation was Saturday, Feb. 22, from 5 to 8 p.m., at the Slavik Funeral Home. Services were Sunday, Feb. 23 at 1:30 p.m., at the Slavik Funeral Home Chapel, 209 N. Allen St., Edna, with Deacon David Valdez officiating. Interment followed in the Memory Gardens Cemetery in Edna.
    Pallbearers were her son-in-laws and grandchildren.

    William A. “Billy” Davis, of Edna, passed away Friday, Feb.  21, 2014 at the age of 69.  He was born in Wharton on Sept. 26, 1944, to the late C. Roy Davis and Maxine T. Powers.
    Billy was a farmer for many years. He was also a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend who will be missed dearly.
    Billy is survived by his sons, Kevin Davis and wife Marcy of Edna, and Will Davis and wife Ruby of Houston; sister, Doris Farquhar of Edna; grandchildren, Haley Davis, Brady Davis, and Will Davis; and numerous nieces and nephews. He is also survived by lifelong friends, David and Dianne Coan, Bill and Margie Bryan, Gary and Celeste Hagel and Vondean Schmidt and his long time side-kick Willie Tejeda and his little dog and constant companion Sissy.  
    In addition to his parents, William is preceded in death by his loving wife, Carol Ann Davis and his mother and father-in-law Carl and Viola Johnson.

    Katy De Lane, 91, of Victoria died Feb. 19, 2014. She was born to Emil and Katy Schymanski Jaeger, in Wausau, Wis. on Aug. 23, 1922. Katy was a Catholic, and a member of St. Mary's Altar Society, Catholic Daughters of America, and the VFW Auxiliary.
    She is survived by her husband John; by two sons, Jim and Dan; daughters, Judi Mozisek, and Diane Libersat; seven grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and two step-great grandchildren.
    Visitation was at Grace Funeral Home, Victoria, on Friday, Feb. 21 from 6-7 p.m. followed by a rosary at 7 p.m. A funeral Mass was at St. Mary's Catholic Church at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 22 with Rev. Dominic Antwi-Boasiako officiating. Entombment was at Resurrection Cemetery Mausoleum.
    Pallbearers were Jason De Lane, Tyler De Lane, Phil Hughes, Mike Sulak, Jason Bolton and Joe Hill. Honorary pallbearers were the remainder of Katy's grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

    Dionico Tijerina, Jr.,70,  passed away Sunday, Feb. 23, 2014. He was born Jan. 22,1944 in Edna, to the late Dionico and Maria Garza Tijerina.
    Dionico is survived by his daughters, Mary Morris and husband John, Mary Canales, Vicky Cummings and husband Ron; sons, Michael Tijerina and wife Jennifer, Tommy Tijerina and wife Suzanne; sister, Janie Perez and husband John; brothers, James and wife Lorrane and Johnny and wife Emma Tijerina, nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
    Preceded in death are his parents; wife ,Julie Moreno Tijerina; brothers, Martin, Emilo and Robert Tijerina; sister Regine Tijerina and a granddaughter, Makenzie Tijerina.
     Visitation will be Tuesday Feb. 25 from 5 to 8 p.m., with a rosary recited at 7 p.m., at the Slavik Funeral Home Chapel in Edna. Services will be at 10 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 26 at Slavik Funeral Home with Rev. Michael Petering officiating. Interment will be in the Edna Latin American Cemetery.

Billie Jane Porter
    Billie Jane Porter of Waco passed away Saturday, Feb. 15, 2014, of renal failure after a long battle with Alzheimer's. Billie was born in Otto on June 12, 1928, the ninth child of Altha Beard Cox and Stephen Henry Cox. She graduated from Ganado High School in Ganado and received a degree from 4C Business College in Waco. In 1946, she married Paul Ernest Porter and together they raised three sons, Marcus Lynn Porter, Phillip Wayne Porter, and Gary Dale Porter.

    Callaway Sanford Vance, 93, died from complications of a brain tumor on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2014. He was born on June 8, 1920 in Edna to the late John T. Vance and Lillian Callaway Vance.