Jack Colley
1948 - 2010
Jack Colley, 62, head of the Department of Public Safety Texas Division of Emergency Management, died on Sunday, May 16. He had suffered a heart attack in early May.
“Jack Colley was a valuable member of the Texas Department of Public Safety and a national icon in the profession of Emergency Management,” said DPS Director Steve McCraw. “He was a great Texan, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time.”
“Jack Colley’s passing is a tremendous loss for the State of Texas. He was a devoted public servant who for years dedicated himself to keeping Texans informed, connected and safe during some of our state’s most tragic and dangerous natural disasters,” noted United States Senator John Cornyn.
“My staff and I have relied heavily on Jack’s accurate, diligent and detailed reports during my time in public office. As hurricanes approached our coast or tornadoes touched down in the plains, it was Jack Colley’s even, collected voice that brought a sense of order and calm to an anxious public,” Cornyn said, adding, “My thoughts and prayers are with the Colley family as they mourn the loss of their loved one and this fine public servant whose work has kept millions of Texans out of harm’s way.”
At the state’s first-ever Texas Hurricane Conference in 2003, Colley summed up the philosophy that guided him during the many catastrophic events he oversaw on behalf of the State of Texas: “In disaster, the most important thing for you to know is that you are not alone.”
During his 12-plus years with the DPS, Colley was involved in the response and recovery to many of Texas’ largest incidents, disasters and emergencies, including the Space Shuttle Columbia crash in 2003 and Hurricanes Rita and Ike in 2005 and 2008, respectively.
Colley also coordinated the effort to shelter thousands of Katrina evacuees in 2005 and then led the monumental evacuation of more than three million Texas residents as Hurricane Rita threatened the southeast Texas coast only weeks later.
In 2008, the Texas Division of Emergency Management responded to six hurricanes and tropical storms within a 90-day period. These storms included Hurricane Dolly, which devastated the Lower Rio Grande Valley July 23 and Hurricane Ike, which washed over Galveston and the southeast Texas coast on Sept. 13.
Under Colley’s guidance, Texas led the nation in a number of initiatives to make disaster response “quicker, faster, smarter,” which included work on systems to improve tracking of special needs evacuees and improved processes for safe re-entry of evacuees after the storm.
Over the past year, DEM has focused on Re-Entry Task Forces to bring back security, restore infrastructure, provide mass care and start recovery within the first 72 hours after a storm. To speed deployment of resources to states struck by mega-disasters, Colley pushed for an Interstate Emergency Response Support Plan (IERSP) with Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico and Oklahoma – the first of its kind in the nation.
“In times of crisis, Texas depended on Jack Colley for leadership and he rose to the occasion each and every time. That leadership will be sorely missed,” said Allan B. Polunsky, chairman of the Texas Public Safety Commission.
In the wake of Katrina in 2005, as it was learned that many people declined to evacuate if they could not bring their family pets, Colley began efforts to open evacuation and sheltering operations in Texas to include companion animals.
“A lot of jokes are made about it but it is simply not a joke. Nobody dies because they can’t bring their pet. This is Texas,” Colley once said.
Colley also served as the Assistant Director of the Texas Office of Homeland Security and was the State Administrative Agent for all Federal Homeland Security Programs within Texas. He was a member of the Governor’s Homeland Security Council, the First Responder Advisory Council and the Critical Infrastructure and Key Resource Protection Council. He was chairman of the Texas Drought Preparedness Council.
Colley served in the US Army from 1970 to 1997, retiring as a colonel before joining DPS. He served in several positions of significant responsibility, including Chief Operations Officer for the Second Brigade and Headquarters, lst Cavalry Division and Division Chief for Strategic Planning for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Department of Defense.
Colley was a graduate of the US Army War College and the Command and General Staff College. He earned a bachelor’s degree from East Texas State University in Commerce and a master’s degree in business from Abilene Christian University.
The funeral will be held at 9 am, Friday, May 21, at the Friendship-West Baptist Church, 2020 W. Wheatland Road in Dallas. Telephone is 972-228-5200. Burial will take place at 11 am, Friday at the Dallas-Fort Worth National cemetery, 2000 Mountain Creek Parkway, also in Dallas. Telephone is 214-467-3374.
Visitation will be from 6 pm until 9 pm, Thursday, May 20, at the Sparkman Hillcrest Funeral Home, 7405 W. Northwest Highway, in Dallas. Telephone is 214-363-5401.
Those wishing to honor Jack Colley are encouraged to support the Baptist Child & Family Services - www.bcfs.net. Donations in his name will be used solely for preparedness and response for Texans in need.
Roger Clayton Mitchell
2010
Roger Clayton Mitchell, 68, died Saturday, May 15, in Medina. He was born in Attleboro, Massachusetts, and resided in Medina for the last four years.
After 20 years of dedicated service, he retired from the United States Navy. Following his retirement, he and his family moved to Texas. However, Roger then relocated to Mississippi with his son for six years before moving back to Texas after Hurricane Katrina. He lived in Texas the rest of his life.
Roger enjoyed playing music with all of his friends. They shared many nights of fun, laughter and midnight jam sessions.
Survivors include his sisters, Marcia Baker of Florida, and Bonnie O’Dell of Connecticut; daughter Charlotte Biedermann of Pipe Creek; son William Mitchell of Medina; and granddaughters, Chara Conner of Lakehills, and Jessica Holt of Pipe Creek, as well as three great-grandchildren.
Roger’s wife, Arlene V. Mitchell, preceded her husband in death.
A memorial service will be held at 10 am, Friday, May 21, at Grimes Funeral Chapels of Bandera, officiated by Martin Smith with interment following at 2:30 pm at Fort Sam Houston National cemetery.
Arrangements are entrusted to Grimes Funeral Chapels of Bandera.
Carol “Jeanie” Miller
1928-2010
Carol “Jeanie” Miller of Bandera went to the loving arms of her family on Monday, April 5.
She was born on December 25, 1928, in Mokane, Missouri, a tiny river town on the Missouri River. Her parents, Jenne Northern Reifsteck and Elmo T. Reifsteck, preceded her in death.
Also preceding her in death were her husband, Gene Miller, brother Wayne Reifsteck; and one grandchild.
Jeanie is survived by daughter, Vicky Cramer and her favorite son-in-law, Ron Cramer, of Bandera; son Bryan Norwood of Columbia, Missouri; three stepdaughters from Missouri and California; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Jeanie and her husband were avid RV-ers, who, after spending many winters in Rockport, finally settled in Bandera. Her favorite trips were to Switzerland and a cruise to Alaska.
The family would like to thank every one at Vista Care Hospice for all of their loving care. The family would especially like to thank the loving and caring staff at Bandera Health Care and Rehabilitation Center for all they did for Jeanie during her stay there. Thank you for opening the window and allowing her soul to fly free.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to ACT, 2200 Burlington, Columbia, MO 65202 or MSNT-Charitable Trust Program, 1500 Vandium Drive, Suite 100, Columbia, MO 65202 in honor of Bryan Norwood.
To honor Jeanie’s wishes, there will be no service. Memories of her will be held in the hearts of those who knew and loved her.
Arrangements are entrusted to Grimes Funeral Chapels of Bandera.
Lonette Taff Wilton
1939-2010
Lonette Taff Wilton, 71, of Richland Springs, Texas, passed away Wednesday, March 24, at Christus Santa Rosa Hospital Northwest in San Antonio.
She was born March 17, 1939, in San Saba County to Albert Leon Taff and Eva Harkey Taff.
Lonette married
John Robert Wilton on June 2, 1956, in Brady. The couple served as longtime teachers in the Bandera school system. She taught home economics and John taught science.
Lonette was a member of the First Christian Church of Richland Springs.
She is survived by her husband, John Robert Wilton, of Richland Springs; son Russell Wells of Bandera; daughters, Laura Annette Wilton of San Antonio, and Michelle Forgacic of King of Prussia, Pennsylvania; two grandchildren, Zachary Wilton and Joshua Wilton; and nieces and nephews, Janis Burke, Waynell Cooley, and Ricky Jarvis.
Lonette was preceded in death by her parents and sister Evelyn Ann Jarvis.
Funeral services were held Sunday, March 28, at the Howell Doran Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Barry Fikes officiating. Interment followed at China Creek cemetery.
The family request that memorials be made to the China Creek cemetery Association.
Funeral services were under the direction of Howell-Doran Funeral Home.
