Stephen M. Menotti
1957-2010
Stephen M. Menotti, 53, of Pipe Creek, passed way on Saturday, Sept. 11, at his residence.
He was born on August 19, 1957, in Texas City to Anthony and Ludie Duvall Menotti.
On Dec. 19, 2004 he married
Susan Marks in Bandera. Mr. Menotti owned and operated the Feed Barn in Pipe Creek. He was also a “friend of Bill Wilson.”
Survivors include his wife, Susan Marks Menotti, of Pipe Creek; parents, AR and Ludie Menotti of Pipe Creek; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Jimmy and June Burnette of Florida; daughters, Stephanie Menotti of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Karen Perkins of Aragon, Georgia; brothers, David Mark Menotti and his life partner, Donald Skipwith, and Mac Austin Menotti and Sussi Moss of Pipe Creek. He is also survived by extended family JR and Tori Faulkner of Harper, as well as by numerous other relatives.
Mr. Menotti was preceded in death by daughter, Mary “Trish” Campbell; paternal grandparents Jack and Angelina Menotti; and maternal grandparents, Homer and Annie Duvall.
A memorial service was held on Wednesday, Sept. 15, at Grimes Funeral Chapel in Bandera.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made in Mr.
Menotti’s name to the Epilepsy Foundation, 8301 Professional Place, Landover, MD, 20785-7223 or by visiting info@efa.org.
Funeral arrangements are by Grimes Funeral Chapel of Bandera.
Virgil Luther Skinner Rue
1940-2010
Virgil Luther Skinner Rue, 69 of Kerrville, passed away Friday, Sept. 17. He was born Oct. 16, 1940, in Tinnie, New Mexico, to Roy and Verona Skinner. Virgil was adopted at an early age by Henry Rue.
Virgil was an auto mechanic, who enjoyed hunting. He was also an avid gun collector.
A kind and gentle man, Virgil helped everyone. Of the Baptist faith, he was always happy, as he had the love of the Lord with him, and it showed to all he met. A man who truly loved his family, Virgil was a devoted husband to Comellia and son, Steve.
Survivors include his wife, Comellia G. Rue, of Kerrville; son Steve W. Rue of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; grandson Hayden A. Rue and granddaughter Aspen L. Rue of Plano; sister-in-law, Porchia Watkins and her husband, Nelson, of Rowlette; niece Lianna Brown and her husband, Gary, of Streetsboro, Ohio, and their two sons Caleb and Cody Cade; nephew Troy Watkins and his wife, Joanna, of Comfort, and their daughters, Maddie and Maya; great-niece, Courtney Sevey of Kerrville and her sons, Luke and Noah; aunt Pinkie Rickerson of Silver City, New Mexico; and other family members.
Virgil also left behind special friends who became like family – Darwin and Debbie Sizemore, Geri Johnson and Nonie Thorne.
Memorial services were held Monday, Sept. 20, at Grimes Funeral Chapels.
He was preceded in death by his fathers and mother, two sisters and a brother.
A memorial service was held Monday, Sept. 20, at Grimes Funeral Chapels.
Contributions in Virgil’s memory may be made to the Bandera County Helping Hand Crisis Center.
Arrangements by to Grimes Funeral Chapels of Kerrville.
Clarence Eric Lautzenheiser Sr.
1921-2010
Clarence Eric “Lautzy” Lautzenheiser Sr., 89, of Medina, entered into eternal rest on Thursday, Sept. 2, after a short illness.
He was born on May 21, 1921, in Lincoln, Nebraska, to Delbert and Emma Semler Lautzenheiser.
After graduating from Harlingen High School in 1939, Lautzy attended Brownsville Junior College.
In 1940, the 18 year old was already accomplished pilot. At that time, he was believed to have been the first civilian pilot to obtain the first United States limited commercial license under the civilian pilot training program. During this time, he flew as a crop duster in the Rio Grande Valley and taught flying lessons at Texas A&I; College in Kingsville to Naval personnel and British Royal Air Force students.
Lautzy joined the United States Army Air Corps in 1941 during World War II. He became the first pilot of a C-46 Curtiss Commando, flying cargo and personnel from Accra, British West Africa, through Central Africa, Arabia and Calcutta.
After serving as the chief pilot in charge of malaria control at Accra Army Air Base, he received a special commendation for helping reduce the malaria rate from 700 cases a year per 1,000 to approximately 24 cases a year per 1,000.
However, Lautzy also contracted malaria and was sent back to the United States to recover. He retired from the Air Force Reserves as a Lieutenant Colonel.
After his active stint in the Air Force, Lautzy married
Audrey Aileen Bayliss on January 1, 1948, in Kingsville. The couple celebrated 63 years of marriage.
After being accepted into MIT, Lautzy graduated with a degree in metallurgy in 1952. He worked at Dow Chemical for 10 years, beginning in 1952, and left to join Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio.
At the institute, he served as a world recognized expert in the field of nuclear power plant quality control and nondestructive testing. He also was a specialist in metallurgy, welding, and chemical-marine corrosion.
Lautzy’s professional contributions included the design of special cables to raise the restaurant to the top of the Tower of the Americas in San Antonio; stress design for the Alaska pipeline; and creation of the first robotics for x-ray inspection of nuclear power vessels.
He was elected to the American Society for Nondestructive Testing Board of Directors, serving first as president and then board chairman for several years. In 1985, Lautzy retired from Southwest Research as Vice President for Division 17.
For the past 25 years, he enjoyed farming and ranching on his ranch in Medina. He also enjoyed traveling and treated each of his children and grandchildren to a trip of their choice, which led him to Japan, China, Hong Kong, Europe, Thailand, Alaska and Spain.
Lautzy is survived by his wife, Audrey; sons, Eric Lautzenheiser and David Smith of San Antonio, and Andy Lautzenheiser and his wife, Patty, of Medina; daughter Ann and her husband, Steve Lovett, of College Station; seven grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and three nieces.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Delbert and Emma Lautzenheiser; and brother Fred Lautzenheiser.
A memorial service will be held at 10 am, Saturday, Sept.18, at the United Methodist Church in Medina, with the Reverend Bill Stegemueller presiding.
Memorials may be made to a charity of one’s choice.
Arrangements were by Grimes Funeral Chapels of Bandera.
Janie “Gran” Lawson
1940-2010
Janie “Gran” Lawson left this earth on Wednesday, Sept. 1.
She was born Oct. 17, 1940, in Russell, Kansas.
Janie is survived by her daughters, Melody Lopez and her husband, Ray, and Terri Bills; grandchildren, Joe Don McCallister, Travis Bills, Cody McCallister and Tara Bills; brothers, Mike, Jim and Larry Bunting; and a very special sister-in-law, Pat Lawson.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Phil and Grace Bunting, and her husband, Richard F. Lawson.
Services were held Saturday, Sept. 11, at at the First Baptist Church in Pipe Creek.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Alzheimer’s Association, 225 N. Michigan Avenue, Floor 17, Chicago, IL, 60601; or, go to alz.org.
Funeral services were provided by Crofts Funeral Home of Blanco.
