Mary Florence Mertz
1920 – 2017
Mary Florence Mertz, 96, died Thursday, Jan. 19 at her home in Bandera. She was surrounded by her son and daughter-in-law, Brice and Susan Mertz; her daughter, Maureen Kelleher and her wonderful caregivers during her final weeks.
Born November 28, 1920 in Ulysses, NE to Jacob and Mary Klein, she grew up on a farm and began her teaching career in a one-room schoolhouse at the age of 17. Many years later, after moving to Texas, she taught in several Catholic schools (including Holy Spirit and St. Paul's in San Antonio) until the age of 78. The hundreds of children that she taught in her many classrooms were the joy and the gift of her life.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, W. Neal Mertz and her brother Maurice Klein.
Mary is survived by her children; her sister, Evelyn Hegeholz and many beloved neices, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Her family will always be grateful to Ginger Goode, her devoted caregiver and companion, also to Christel and Aleta from Alamo Hospice, for all of their tender mercies...Many, many thanks.
Mass of the Resurrection was held at 10 am Tuesday, Jan 24 at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church. Inter-rement to follow at at a later date in the Church cemetery near her home in Nebraska.
If you would like to make a charitable contribution in memory of Mary Mertz, please do so to any Catholic School. Thank you!
William M. Bishop (Lt Col, Retired)
1939-2017
William “Bill” Bishop passed away on Saturday, Jan. 21 surrounded by family.
Bill was born in Idabel, OK on Nov. 20, 1939 to Tillman and Allyne Bishop. He grew up in Pottsboro and graduated from Denison High School in 1958. He never considered attending any other college than Oklahoma University. His time at OU brought several milestones. He met and married
Ann Gay and started a family. Upon graduation in 1963, he joined the Air Force and was commissioned in August of the same year. He served his country for 23 years as a maintenance officer, including assignments in Thailand, during the Vietnam War, and 6 years in Germany. While attending Air Command and Staff College in Montgomery, AL, Bill received his MA from Auburn University.
After his Air Force retirement, Bill continued his career in aviation spending 15 years working for the Boeing Airplane Company in Wichita, KS. He like to say that he started his Air Force career with the B-52 Bomber and ended is Boeing career with the B-52 Bomber and in between he was responsible for the F-4 Phantom Fighter.
Bill was a member of the Baha’i Faith and was dedicated to the principles of the oneness of humanity and service to others. He lived this out through his involvement in local service organizations. Bill was an active member of Kiwanis and was a founding member of the Bandera Kiwanis Club. He also served as the Governor of the Texas-Oklahoma Kiwanis District from 2009-2010. He was dedicated to serving the Bandera community and served on the Bandera Community Foundation for many years.
He was devoted to his family: his life-long love, Ann Gay Bishop, to whom he was married
for 56 years; his daughter and son-in-law, Angel and Try Bishop Petty; his son and daughter-in-law, William Hart and Nancy Bishop; and his five grandchildren, who were his pride and joy, James Bishop, Laura Bishop, Codi Bishop, Jade Bishop Petty and Cora Bishop Petty. To his family he left many gifts, the most important of which were his work ethic, honesty, integrity and love of music. Thank you! You will be missed.
Bill will be buried at 9:45 am in the Fort Sam Houston National cemetery on Jan. 30. A reception will follow at the Bishop/Bishop Petty residence at 230 N Goat Ridge Rd in Pipe Creek.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Kiwanis of Bandera/Scholarship Fund, PO Box 2096, Bandera, Tx 78003.
Yvonne L. Black
1940-2017
Yvonne L Black passed on to glory Monday, Jan. 23. She will be reunited with her husband Jimmie Black in the house of our Lord.
She was born November 4, 1940 in Plentywood, MT to Ottar Gjesdal and Edna Gjesdal Owen. She lived an adventurous life, traveling the world, making many friends. She would always say, “I have had a wonderful life and done so much for a small town farm girl”.
She will be dearly missed by her four children Ricky Black, Rory Black, Jimmie Black Jr., and her daughter Jackie Black Darnell. Her brother Duane Gjesdal, her sister, Karren Jack, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Loving wife, mother, sister, grandmother and friends. A private graveside ceremony was held Feb. 8 at 1:30 pm at Fort Sam Houston National cemetery at the above ground columbarium.
Robert Warren Alexander
1920-2017
Robert Warren Alexander, 96, passed away peacefully Tuesday, Jan. 31 at Park View Nursing Care Center in Muleshoe.
He was born February 19, 1920 in Paris, to Morgan Provine and Grace Clara Alexander.
Bob grew up in Paris, and graduated from Paris High School. He attended Texas A&M; University, graduating with a degree in Petroleum Engineering in 1941.
Bob married
Donna Dilley White in 1942 in Council Grove, KS. They had three daughters, Julie White, Barbara Dee and Peggy Ann. They were happily married
for 72 years.
Upon his graduation from A&M;, Bob was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant and served honorably on the European Front during WWII. He was a member of the 9th Armored Division serving as a staff member under General John W. Leonard. He attained the rank of Captain and was awarded the Bronze Star for valor.
Following his discharge from the Army he returned to Austin, where he attended Law School at the University of Texas, graduating with his LLB in 1948.
Bob joined the Law Firm of Wigley, McLeod, Mills and Shirley in Galveston and practiced there until 1965. In 1965 he and his partners established the Law Firm of McLeod, Alexander, Powel and Appfel, where he practiced until his retirement in 1978. Shortly thereafter Bob and Donna moved to their ranch in Bandera.
In addition to his trademark cigar, he will be remembered as a true gentleman, loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. His generosity was known to all as was his honesty and fairness. His was a life of graciousness. He shared his love of the outdoors, hunting and fishing with his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. The stories told of times together and lessons learned still bring laughter and pleasure to all.
Bob was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Donna; his brother, George; his sister, Virginia.
He is survived by his three daughters, Julie Alexander Cage and husband, J.D. of Muleshoe; Barbara Alexander of Eugene, Oregon, Peggy Alexander Frese and husband A.C. of Birmingham, AL; eight grandchildren and thirteen great grandchildren.
Following his death a memorial service was held at Park View Nursing Care Center in Muleshoe. He was buried with full Military Honors at a family graveside service in Bandera.
The Family suggests memorials to your favorite charity
John Giles Shults, Sr.
1953 – 2017
John Giles Shults, Sr., 63 of Pipe Creek passed away on Sunday, Feb. 19, at his home. He was born in San Antonio on May 31, 1953 to Joe Eugene Shults and Betty Jean Sawey. He married
the love of his life, Mary Lou Graham, on November 9, 1980 in Helotes.
John, called Johnny by his friends and family, attended McCullough High School in San Antonio. He had a lifelong passion for rodeo and living the cowboy life. His younger years were spent working at the San Antonio Stockyards, where he bonded with the older hands there. He used that knowledge at various sale barns across South Texas, buying and selling stock. He enjoyed the cowboy lifestyle and was considered an expert in rodeo stock animals. Johnny provided stock for many youth rodeos. He always had an animal project in the works, whether it was feeding out heifers or having brood mare and colts. He spent more than 25 years throughout his life hauling his children to youth rodeos all across Texas. This past summer he was able to see his two oldest grandsons ride bareback horses along with seeing his oldest granddaughter compete in a youth rodeo. Long story short, he was a cowboy through and through.
John is preceded in death by his father, Joe Eugene Shults, and brother-in-law, Luther Dale "Scooter" Graham, Jr. He is survived by his loving wife of 36 years. Mary Lou Shults; three loving children, Allison Smoot and husband Ira; Rabecca Teich and husband Mike; son John Giles Shults, Jr. and wife Lilly; brother James Shults and Sara; brother Billy Cude and wife Donna; sister Cheryl Shults-LeBleu, his mother Betty Minor, and six grandchildren, Mason, Jatin, Sloan and Tegan Smoot and Rowan and Giles Shults. He also considered Mary Louís siblings his own family, whom he met when they were all very young, Tina Turner, Lynette Gibson, and Stacy Fisher. They considered him a father figure.
Paw Paw fought a long battle with cancer and other illnesses. His grandchildren were the apple of his eye and his reason for fighting. He was extremely proud of the accomplishments of all three of his children who have received Bachelorís degrees and have successful careers.
Celebration of life will be held at the Helotes Festival Association Pavilion, 12210 Leslie Rd, Helotes, Saturday, Feb. 25 at 1 pm.
In lieu of flowers, memorials to Prostate Cancer Foundation and Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund in honor of John Gile Shults, Sr.
"Hit em on the hairy side, cowboy!"
Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Grimes Funeral Chapels of Bandera.
Wallace Braxton Kirkpatrick
1921-2017
On Friday, March 3, the world lost a man with integrity at his core who took responsibility for his part of the world. Wallace B. Kirkpatrick was born on January 19, 1921, near Reagan, in the Brazos River bottom, as he described it. Known to family as Wallace; to friends as Kirk; Daddy and Pop to his children, their children and their children.
Mr. Kirkpatrick served his country through Civil Service at Fort Sam Houston and Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio, a logistics specialist coordinating people, planes and supplies to Viet Nam for that war and to NASA in Houston for use in astronaut training. He served through Military Service during World War II in the Army Air Corps, including 28 months as a German POW and the Korean War in the United States Air Force, managing a supply depot near Chataureux, France.
Mr. Kirkpatrick was a devoted churchman: an elder in the PC (USA), active at Los Angeles Heights Presbyterian Church when the family lived in San Antonio and among the founding members of Pipe Creek Presbyterian Church.
He loved his family and expected the best from his children and wanted the best for them. Their daddy encouraged with wit, edged with light sarcasm and a smile. He taught them how to ride bikes and repair them, how to roller skate and hit a softball. AND he had the potential of frightening potential high school dates of his three daughters. With a well-appointed garage and workshop, Pop provided solutions for everything from fixing a faucet, to building a playhouse, to building an actual house for his family. All of his children went off to college with a fully equipped tool box!
Mr. Kirkpatrick was loved and respected as a leader and a problem solver. The space he is leaving is a large one. We hold faith that he is now with his beloved wife and, most likely, working on some improvement project, too!
He is survived by his daughters, Melissa B. Kirkpatrick, Joe–Beth Kirkpatrick, Tara L. Kirkpatrick (Tim D. McKee); son, James B. Kirkpatrick (Nan); grandchildren, Erin W. Gooldy, Joshua B. Barr, Christopher H. Braithwaite, Sibyl L. Kaufman, Brendan J. Kirkpatrick–McKee and David B. Kirkpatrick; great-grandchildren, Abigail M. Gooldy, Galen R. Gooldy, Leyland W. Gooldy, Jackson R. Barr, Cameron L. Barr, Maxwell W. Kaufman, Elaina C. Kirkpatrick, James D. Kirkpatrick and Ayden R. Kirkpatrick.
Pallbearers are Joshua B. Barr, Christopher H. Braithwaite, Tim D. McKee, Brendan J. Kirkpatrick-McKee, Robert Flores, Matthew H. Kaufman and David B. Kirkpatrick.
A Visitation will be held 3 to 5 pm, Thursday, March 9, at Grimes Funeral Chapels of Bandera.
A Final Visitation will be held at 12 pm, Friday. March 10, at Sunset Memorial Park Funeral Home.
Graveside services will be held at 1 pm, Friday, March 10, at Sunset Memorial Park with United States Air Force honors and Vernon Brinkley, officiating.
In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorials be made to Hope Hospice of New Braunfels, WWII Memorial, Washington DC or the Bandera Animal Rescue Group.
Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Grimes Funeral Chapels of Bandera.
