H

Florence E. Hall

Funeral services for Florence E. Hall, 38, of Van Vleck will be held 1 p. m. Tuesday at Evangelistic Temple with the Rev. Clifton Turner officiating. Burial will be in St. John’s Cemetery, Van Vleck.

Visitation will be this afternoon and from 7 to 9 today at Green’s Mortuary and from noon to 1 p. m. Tuesday at the church.

Mrs. Hall was born Dec. 5, 1949, in Texas to Robert Lee and Myrtle Swist Williams and died Aug. 18, 1988, at St. Luke’s Hospital, Houston.

Survivors include a daughter, Kimberly Armstrong of Van Vleck; a son, U. L. Armstrong Jr. of Van Vleck; mother, Myrtle Swist of Van Vleck; grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Lee Lewis of Cedar Lane; a sister, Helen James of Richmond; two brothers, Lysell Brown Jr. of Houston and Kenneth James of Richmond; seven aunts, Millie Petti of Bay City; Annie Bryan and Pearl Robinson of Van Vleck, Rosie Lee Green of Cedar Lane, Betty Lou Herring of Sweeny, Dennie Marie August of Houston and Martha Lee Brown of Danciger; four uncles, Claudia Lee Williams of Oklahoma, Texas, Clarence Williams of Cedar Lane, Webster Williams Jr. of Houston, Ernest Petti Sr., Thomas Robinson, of Bay City, and Lun Brinkley of Van Vleck; two great-uncles, Robert Green of Cedar Lane and Sam Green of Bay City; and several nieces, nephews and friends.

Pallbearers include Billy Roberson, Wayne Alexander, David Clay, Roy Burnett, Russell Sidney, Eddie B. Sorrell, Travis Roberson and Robert S. Smith.

Honorary pallbearers include U. L. Armstrong Jr., Lee Lewis, Ernest Petti Jr. and Green’s Mortuary and staff.

Arrangements are with Green’s Mortuary, Bay City.

Daily Tribune, August 1988

Preston Harkless

 

Rose Lee Harkless

Funeral services for Rose Lee Harkless, 58, of Bay City are scheduled for 1 p. m. Friday at Enterprise Baptist Church with the Rev. A. H. Pointer officiating. Burial will follow in Sr. John Cemetery in Van Vleck.

Visitation will be until 9 p. m. Thursday at the Duncan-Roberts Funeral Home chapel and from noon until 1 p. m. Friday at Enterprise Baptist Church.

Mrs. Harkless was born Sept. 18, 1925, to Milton and Alice Simmons-Davis and died Dec. 25, 1993, at Matagorda General Hospital in Bay City.

She is a member of the Baptist church.

Survivors include a daughter, Ever Lina Sardinea of Houston; a son and daughter-in-law, Ameleo and Earnestine Sardinea Jr. of Bay City; six grandchildren, Reeva and Nina Sardinea of Houston, Amedd Sardinea, Ameleo Sardinia III, Antonio Sardinea and Earnest Sardinea, all of Bay City; two great-grandchildren, Marbe’sa and Marka Young of Houston; her mother-in-law, Cody Harkless of Bay City; five sisters, Elizabeth Hines of Martino Valley, Calif., Carrie Davis of Bay City, Mary Lee Allen of Bay City, Elmira Hutchinson of Van Vleck and Derotha Jones of Van Vleck; a brother, William Davis of Van Vleck and nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, by her husband, Preston Harkless, by a sister, Rebecca Brinkley and by a brother, Walter Davis.

Pallbearers are Roland Armstead, James Brinkley, John L. Brinkley, Jonas Brinkley, Charlie Davis, Elijah Davis, Russell Pointer and Eugene Stroman.

Honorary pallbearers are John L. Brinkley Jr., Nathaniel Brinkley, Wilbert Brinkley, Lawrence Green, Reginald E. Lord, Wendell Winston, Cornelius Woodard and Mark A. Young.

Arrangements are with Duncan-Roberts Funeral Home of Bay City.

Daily Tribune, December 30, 1993

Betty Ruth Swanks-Harris

On February 17, 1955 a beautiful baby girl was born to Tom and Lovera Swanks in New Gulf, Texas whom they named Betty Ruth.

She entered into eternal rest on Saturday, August 13, 2016 at Sugar Lane Methodist Hospital in Sugar Land, Texas.

She was a member of Union  Missionary Baptist Church. She was affiliated with an organization "Just Do It Now" at the Wharton Boys and Girls Club. She used to work for C. B. I S. D. as a bus driver. The students knew that when you rode Mrs. Betty's but that you are going to be on your best behavior or she would adjust your behavior for you. She was an outgoing person, loved people and enjoyed spending quality time with her family. She loved to cook, helping people and you could always find a crowd at her house enjoying a meal. She also enjoyed trail rides, playing dominoes and cards.

She was a courageous woman of God as she battled her fight with cancer. She never gave up because she knew that she would be the winner resting safely in the arms of Jesus. She fought a good fight, she kept her faith and she has finished her course.

She was preceded in death by her son: Donald Ray Harris Jr. "Peabody;" parents, Tom and Lovera Swanks.

She leaves to cherish her memories, her husband, Donald Ray Harris, Sr., West Columbia; loving and devoted son, Darryl Swanks, Houston; brother, Charles Swanks (Patricia), Bay City; sisters, Marie Grant, Rosenberg and Gloria Swanks, Sweeny; grandchildren, Essence Kyle, Darrian Swanks, Jon'Tel Capers and Tristen Harris; great grandchildren, Jay'len Harris, Ja'Coby Smith and Darius Williams Jr., nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.

Active pallbearers: Tommy Swanks, Gary Scott, Mikael Taylor, Sr., Azelle Johnson, Kevin Davis, Hubert Grant, Jr., Kenneth Taylor, Orlando Grisby.

Honorary pallbearers: Charles Swanks, Nelson Brown, Sr., Curtis L. Evans, Henry L Harris, Calvin Autry, Robert Thompson, Heath Sherman, Devin Miller.

Earthly Bed: St. John Cemetery, Van Vleck, Texas.

Funeral Program courtesy of Jerrilyn Capers
 

Charles Harris

Funeral services for Charles Harris, 88, of Van Vleck, father of Cling Harris, will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 28, 2012 at St. John Baptist Church, Van Vleck.

Interment to follow at St. John Cemetery, Van Vleck.

Visitation will be from 2 until 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home chapel.

Arrangements are with Duncan-Roberts Funeral Home, Bay City, Texas 979-245-5197.

Bay City Tribune, April 25, 2012
 

Edward L. Harris

 

Isabel Harris

 

Tom Harris

 

Elvira M. Harrison

 

Elnora Wilson Hawkins

Funeral services for Elnora Wilson Hawkins, 71, are scheduled for 2 p. m. Wednesday at St. John’s Baptist Church in Van Vleck with Rev. Ruben Newell officiating. The body will lie in state from 1 - 2 p. m. at the church. Visitation is noon - 9 p. m., Tuesday at Green’s Mortuary in Bay City.

Elnora was born May 25, 1926 in Wilson Creek, Texas and was the elder child of four born to the union of Lake Wilson and Viola Deadrick Wilson.

After the death of her mother, Elnora and her brothers and sister went to live with her aunt, Jimmie Lacey Pertain in Brazoria. There she attended Mims School. The family moved to Galveston where she attended George W. Carver and Booker T. Washington.

She later moved to Van Vleck and became a member of Free System Baptist Church. After the church consolidated to become Saint John Baptist Church, she attended under the leadership of the late Rev. O. L. Reynolds, and the current pastor, Rev. Ruben Newell.

“Nora” was especially loyal to the work of the Mission and Choir never refusing a task because she was too tired. She was a sweet woman whose life story was one filled with pleasant thoughts, kind words, sweet memories and good deeds. Her Christian love had no limits, no boundary or measure; for her good work did not stop for race, color, origin or any combination. She always had a special place in her heart for all children. She always offered you something to eat and drink. And most of all—she loved to take people fishing—all day long.

After a number of years of illness, Sister Elnora Hawkins departed this life Nov. 14. She will now go to a land where she is once again free to walk and sing, where there will be no more pain and He will wipe all tears away.

Those to say goodbye, but not forever are: daughter, Tammie “Peaches” Wilson-Horne; granddaughter, Nicole Stredic-Horne; grandson, Chase Horne; sister, Mattie Alice and Percy Moore Sr. all of Bay City; brother, Lake Wilson Sr. and Arlene of Houston; sisters-in-law, Alversia Wilson and Dorothy Taylor of Galveston; Greenevelyn Sims of Houston; mother-in-law, Mary Lou Hawkins of Cedar Lane; step-daughters, Symolia and Angelia Hawkins of Bay City; and a a host of nieces, nephews and other friends.

Her parents and one brother, Allen George Wilson, precede her in death.

Pallbearers are Charles Wilson, Jr., Darryl Wilson, Cleveland Wilson, Willie Wilson, Richard George, Tyrone Davis, Terry Mitchell and Randy Roberts.

Arrangements are with Green’s Mortuary in Bay City.

Daily Tribune, November 18, 1997

Allen Hayes

Funeral services for Allen Hayes, 84, of Lake Jackson, will be held Thursday, August 29, 2002, at 1 p.m. at the Duncan-Roberts Funeral Home Chapel in Bay City, with the Rev. Samuel Williams, eulogist. Burial will follow at St. John Cemetery in Van Vleck.

Visitation will be Wednesday until 9 p.m. in the Funeral Home Chapel.

He was born in Van Vleck, TX, Saturday, March 9, 1918, to Jimmie Hayes and Lucrecy Perry Hayes, and passed away Sunday, August 26, 2002, at Brazosport Memorial Hospital, Lake Jackson, TX.

Survivors are: one daughter, Lillie Pearl Hicks of Houston; grandsons, Timothy and Tonya Hayes of Bay City and Henry and Angie Hicks, Jr. of Houston; a host of other relatives and friends.

Arrangements are with Duncan-Roberts Funeral Home. A00014B2002AG28

The Bay City Tribune, Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2002