Death, Burial, Cemetery & Obituaries
Pearl Braquet
GROVES - Pearl Braquet, 86, of Groves passed away on Thursday, January 31, 2008, at her residence in Groves.
Pearl was born on February 2, 1921, in Lake Charles Louisiana to Ursula "Sue" Bernard Vincent and Amyar Vincent. She had lived in the Port Arthur and Groves area since 1946 and worked in the Canning Department at the Texaco Oil Refinery from 1946-1951. Pearl also worked as a seamstress at the Groves Cleaners and was a member of St. Peter Catholic Church. She also loved to oil paint, and travel with her family and husband with the R.V. Holiday Ramblers Lou-Tex.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted at 10:00 a.m. Monday, February 4, 2008, at St. Peter Catholic Church in Groves with Msgr. Kenneth Greig as the Celebrant. Burial will follow at Greenlawn Memorial Park in Groves. A gathering of friends and family will take place from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Sunday, February 3, 2008, at Grammier-Oberle Funeral Home in Port Arthur with a Rosary to be recited at 7:00 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.
Survivors include her husband of sixty-eight years, Lloyd Braquet of Groves; son, Dana Braquet of Beaumont; daughter-in-law, Kathy Braquet of Groves; daughter, Deborah Vincent and husband Glenn of Groves; grandchildren, Bree Shields and husband Mark of Humble, Jason Braquet and wife Cherese of Groves, Ash Braquet and wife Karen of Anchorage, Alaska and Chesne Wallace and husband Adam of Groves; great-grandchildren, Ashleigh Braquet, Aslynn Braquet, Brenna Braquet, Brittyn Braquet, Grant Shields and Jack Shields.
Anders Martin Jensen (A.M.)
Anders Martin (A.M.) Jensen, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away on Friday, February 1, 2008 at home after a long illness. Mr. Jensen was born on June 3, 1932 to Anders and Grace Jensen. For forty years, Mr. Jensen operated his own business, Jensen's Auto Salvage and Towing in Port Arthur, Texas. He was a respected resident of Port Neches, Texas for forty-four years, relocating to Nederland, Texas only in the last two years of his illness. He loved his family, camping, traveling to the Rocky Mountains, and deer hunting. He will always be remembered for his wonderful, boisterous laugh.
Mr. Jensen is survived by his loving wife, Hazel Judice Jensen of Nederland, Texas; his mother, Grace Jensen of Groves, Texas; three sons, Randy Jensen of Arlington, Texas; Waysie Jensen of Nederland, Texas; Dennis Jensen of San Antonio, Texas; and one daughter, Sandy Stutes of Port Arthur, Texas. Mr. Jensen's passing is also mourned by two daughters-in-law, Wavelyn Jensen of Arlington, Texas; and Sandy Jensen of San Antonio, Texas; one son-in-law, Rodney Stutes of Port Arthur, Texas; as well as nine grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. Mr. Jensen was preceded in death by his father, Anders and brother, Donald Lee Jensen.
A memorial service will held at 2:00 p.m. on February 3, 2008 at Clayton- Thompson Funeral Home in Groves, Texas. All family and friends are invited to attend the services and to gather afterwards at 3411 Avenue E, Nederland, Texas.
Olevia "Wee Bee" Derise
Olevia "Wee Bee" Derise, 80, of Nederland passed away on Thursday, January 31, 2008 at Cypress Glen East in Port Arthur.
Graveside services will be held at 2:00 pm on Sunday, February 3, 2008 at Oak Bluff Memorial Park in Port Neches under the direction of Broussard's in Nederland. A gathering of family and friends will be from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm on Sunday, February 3, 2008 at the mortuary.
Olevia was a native of Hammond, Louisiana and lived in Nederland all of her life. She was a loving mother and homemaker. She was a devoted Dallas Cowboys and Houston Astros fan and enjoyed trips to the casino. Olevia was preceded in death by her husband, Bob Derise, and four sisters.
Mrs. Derise is survived by her son, Phillip Derise and his wife Shirley of Lake Charles; sister, Virginia Van Randen of Nederland; several nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of other family and friends.
Phillis Frances Grillo
PORT ARTHUR - Phillis Frances Grillo, 88, of Port Arthur passed away on Friday, January 25, 2008, at Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas.
A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, February 2, 2008, at St. Catherine Catholic Church in Port Arthur with burial to follow at Greenlawn Memorial Park in Groves. A gathering of friends and family will take place from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. Friday at Grammier-Oberle Funeral Home in Port Arthur and continue again from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Friday. A Rosary will be recited at 7:00 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Phillis was born on November 1, 1919, in Beaumont, Texas to Vita St. George Rizzo and Pete Rizzo. She had lived in Port Arthur for over sixty-five years and was a homemaker; wife, mother and grandmother who loved to sew, bake, read and travel with her family. Phillis was a member of St. Catherine of Sienna Catholic Church in Port Arthur.
Survivors include her daughters, Frances Robert son of Parks, Louisiana, Vita Hardin and husband Charles of Buna and Mary O'Neil and husband Patrick of Richmond; grandchildren, Phillis Castille and her hus band Ricky, Leslie Robertson, Stewart Robertson, Branden Mallet, Rowena McDonald and her husband Gary and Gabrielle O'Neil; great-grandchildren, Garett Felix-Michael Smith and Dalton-Paige Smith.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Felix Grillo, Sr. and son, Felix Grillo, Jr.
"To Our Beloved Mother"
Letting you go home was a hard thing to do.
But the picture of our little Italian girl meeting her little Italian boy, her best friend, her soul mate and her beloved son….
and our family members whom we loved so much was the best thing to do.
To our matriarch, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and best friend;
we honor your memory by saying we all adored and loved you so much.
We thank you for your guidance, your unconditional love you showed us in your life……
From the scratched knees to the spelling words to the encouragement of that soft little wink you gave when needed.
The examples of life lesson where upon meeting a stranger to quickly making them feel welcome into that beautiful world of yours.
Your world where every thing and everyone was equal, happy and every problem had a happy ending.
We will stay a family in your honor and cherish each other more and make you proud.
Benjamin Earl Goodwin
Benjamin Earl Goodwin, 76, of Bridge City, died Wednesday, January 30, 2008, at Memorial Hermann Baptist Hospital in Orange, Texas.
Funeral service will be 10:00 a.m., Friday, February 1, 2008, at First Baptist Church in Bridge City. Reverend Bob Boone will officiate. Interment will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens in Orange.
Earl was born September 13, 1931, in Toledo, OH, to Albert and Mabel (LeBlanc) Goodwin.
Earl served in the U.S. Army in 1952-1954 during the Korean War in the 45th Division. He started as a carpenter's apprentice at Gulf Oil in 1950 and later retired from Chevron after 38 years where he was supervisor of building trades.
Earl was a member of First Baptist Church in Bridge City. He was also a member of the Masonic Lodge 1345 and the Eastern Star.
Earl loved to do carpentry and garden. He and JoAnn served two summers with Volunteer Christian Builders in the Pacific Northwest building churches.
He taught Sunday school and was a deacon for over 50 years.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Albert and Mabel Goodwin.
He is survived by his wife of 55 years, JoAnn Carter Goodwin of Bridge City; daughters, Sheila Humphreys and husband Bruce of Arvada, CO; and Patti Franklin and husband Donald of Houston, TX; grandchildren, Alan Humphreys, Joanna Humphreys, Colleen Franklin and Cody Franklin; and brother, John A. Good win of Graham, Texas.
Serving as pallbearers will be Kenneth Craig, Steve Goodwin, Albert Gore, Craig Turner, Donald Franklin and Bruce Humphreys. Honorary pallbearers will be the deacons of First Baptist Church of Bridge City.
Memorial contributions may be made to Ministerial Alliance of Orangefield and Bridge City, 200 W. Round Bunch Rd., Bridge City, 77611.
Carolyn Knowles Piletere
NEDERLAND - Carolyn Knowles Piletere, 68, of Nederland, Texas passed away on Wednesday, January 30, 2008 at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital in Houston. She was born on August 15, 1939 in Nederland, Texas to Thelma Greer Knowles and Harold Knowles. Carolyn was a lifelong resident of the area. She graduated from Nederland High School in 1957 and Chenier Business College in Port Arthur. She was affiliated with First United Methodist Church in Nederland. Carolyn worked at Price and Company as an accountant and later as a sales representative. She retired after 15 years of service to the company.
Visitation will be on Friday, February 1, 2008 from 5 P.M. to 8 P.M. at Clayton Thompson Funeral Home. Funeral service will be at 10:30 A.M. Saturday, February 2, 2008 in the Thompson Memorial Chapel at Clayton Thompson with Rev. Malcolm Monroe, officiating. Burial will follow in Oak Bluff Memorial Park in Port Neches.
Serving as pallbearers will be Tanner Bass, Tyler Kahla, Kris Kahla, Jeremy Piletere, Ryan Piletere and Chad Piletere. Honorary Pallbearers will be Cade Bass, Quinten Kahla and Derek Brodnax.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her step-father, Francis Wagner. She is survived by her husband, Henry J. Piletere of Nederland, Texas, her daughters, Julie Kahla of Bridge City, Texas, Kelly Bass and husband Micah of Woodville, Texas, her sons, Brett Kahla of Bridge City, Texas, Scott Kahla and wife Dana of Stowell, Texas along with step-sons, Craig Piletere and wife Sheila of Port Neches, Texas, Darrell Piletere and wife Mary of Groves, Texas.
She is also survived by her grandchildren, Tanner Bass, Kaitlyn Bass, Jillian Bass, Cade Bass, Skylar Kahla, Tyler Kahla, Kris Kahla and Quinten Kahla, step-grandchildren, Jeremy Piletere, Ryan Piletere, Teresa Piletere and Chad Piletere; along with her sisters, twin Marilyn Brown and husband Ronnie of Orangefield, Texas, Connie Berry and husband, Arthur of Beaumont, Texas, Mary Francis Knowles Lundgren of Houston, Texas, her brother Judge John W. Knowles and his wife Laura of Port Arthur along with numerous nieces and nephews.
Those wishing to make donations, Family request they be made to the Humane Society of Southeast Texas, 2050 Spindletop Road, Beaumont, Texas, 77705 in memory of Carolyn, in honor of her love for animals.
The Family would like to give a special thank you to all those that sent cards, flowers, and prayers for Carolyn.
