Obituaries
LaBauve Cemetery
Francitas, Jackson County, Texas
Mary Rebecca Logan was born in Liberty county, Aug. 14, 1843, came to Jackson county with her parents the day she was ten years old, and has spent the greater part of her life there and in Matagorda county. For the last fifty years she lived in the old home on Carancahua, five miles west of Blessing, where her death occurred on March 15, last, after an illness of several weeks.
Mary Rebecca Logan was married in early life to Mr. Calvin Alexander McFarlane, who died a few years later. To this union was born two daughters, Elizabeth, who died in her early womanhood, and Lettie, who lived with her mother in the old home, caring very tenderly for her through her declining years and her last illness. In October, 1875, Mrs. McFarlane was married to Capt. B. B. Rhodes, who preceded his wife to the great beyond seven years. To them two sons were born, R. H. Rhodes, of Blessing and J. Lawson, who died when sixteen years of age.
Mrs. Rhodes was a faithful Christian since early girlhood, being a member of the Methodist church until recent years, when she united with the Presbyterian church at Blessing in order to be with her children. Her remains were laid to rest in the family cemetery near Francitas on Saturday morning, March 16th, after a service at the home conducted by Rev Gillespie of Palacios, accompanied by many relatives and friends to the last resting place.
Besides the son, R. H. Rhodes of Blessing, and daughter, Miss Lettie McFarlane, she leaves four grand-children, B. B., L. L. and T. W. Rhodes, and Mrs. Ella Morrow, of Dallas; two sisters, Mrs. R. J. Smith, of San Antonio, and Mrs. Elvira Madden, of Rockport, besides many nieces and nephews, with one great-great-great niece, little Lorena Viets, of Bay City.
A humble Christian life has been lived, and gone to its reward in heaven, to await the coming of those loved ones left here, when the circle will be forever unbroken there.
By One of Her Great Nieces
Unknown Newspaper, March 29, 1929
Mrs. B. B. Rhodes died at her home near Blessing at 9 o’clock last Friday, after an illness of several weeks. Mrs. Rhodes was near 86 and has spent a good many years in this community. A large number of relatives and friends gathered at the home to pay their tribute to this good woman, whom everyone loved. Interment was made in Francitas cemetery.
Palacios Beacon, March 21 1929
Funeral services for Clifford Rice, 79, were held Oct. 7 at 2 p. m. at the Palacios Funeral Home Chapel with Brother Shan Jackson officiating. Interment followed at Francitas Cemetery.
Rice, the son of William A. and Jennie Hutchinson Rice, was born April 28, 1905 in McDade, TX and died Oct. 5, 1984 at Leisure Lodge.
He was a former farm laborer and affiliated with the Church of Christ.
Survivors include two brothers Claude Rice of Austin and Robert W. Rice of Palacios.
Palacios Beacon, October 10, 1984
Juan T. Rodriguez
1930 - October 23, 2021
Donna - Juan T. Rodriguez 91, died Saturday, October 23, 2021. Hawkins Funeral Home of Donna is in charge of arrangements.
Valley Morning Star, October 28, 2021
Juanita A. Rodriguez
Homemaker
Funeral services for Mrs. Santiago “Jimmy” (Juanita “Janie” A.) Rodriguez, 65, of Francitas were held Friday, April 19, 1966, at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church with the Rev. James Nischan officiating. Interment followed in the LaBauve Cemetery in Francitas.
Mrs. Rodriguez died April 16 at her residence. She was born July 14, 1930, in Ganado to Dionaciano and Leandra Arriaga. She was a homemaker.
Survivors in addition to her husband, include daughters, Mary Jane Martinez of Albuquerque, N. M. and Linda Zarate of Palacios; sons, Jimmy Rodriguez, Johnny Rodriguez and Jesse Rodriguez, all of Francitas, and Joe Rodriguez of Ganado; 17 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Pallbearers were Richard Rodriguez, Israel Rodriguez, Joe Zamora, Aco Ruiz, Frank Alvarez and J. R. Zarate.
Jackson County Herald-Tribune, April 24, 1996 Jimmy "Sandy" Rodriguez
GANADO – Darlene Rule ,70 , passed away 6/20/2018. A Celebration of Life Service will be held Friday, June 29, 2018 at 10:00 am, at the Assumption Catholic Church in Ganado. A rosary will be recited at 9:30 am. A private interment service will be held at a later date. Services are with Ganado Funeral Home, 361-771-2120.
Victoria Advocate, Thursday, June 28, 2018
On Monday, March 9th, Mrs. Della Sanders was laid to rest in our Francitas Cemetery. A more suitable mention will be made next week.
Mesdames Guy Joines
and Edison Carvell of Beaumont were here to attend the funeral
of Mrs. Sanders.
The Edna Weekly Herald,
March 12, 1942, “Francitas
Facts”
[The next issue of the Herald is unavailable.]
Wm. Wesley Sanders was born in Grimes County, Texas, July 5, 1873, where he spent his boyhood.
He was married to Mrs. Della Foster at Lufkin, Texas on December 20, 1910. They lived there two years then went to Louisiana for a while. They moved to Jackson County in May 1917. They have lived here in this community ever since. Mr. Sanders became a member of a Baptist Church in 1908, at Fairview near Lufkin, Texas.
He is survived by his wife and daughter here and a sister in Lufkin.
Funeral services were conducted by Rev. George D. McClelland, pastor of the First Baptist Church, Palacios, interment in the Francitas cemetery.
Palacios Beacon, April 4, 1935
Elijah O. Smead, an aged and honored citizen of Francitas, passed away at his home in this city Friday night, April 9, aged 80 years, 9 months and 6 days, of an ailment incident to old age.
Funeral services were held at the home in the south part of town Sunday afternoon at 2 o’clock, conducted by W. C. H. Marshall, after which remains were consigned to their last resting place in the cemetery south of town.
Mr. Smead was born in Lake county, New York, on June 3, 1834, where he spent his boyhood days and grew to young manhood. In 1855 he moved to Madison county, Ohio. It was here that he met, wooed and married Miss Mary L. Hitchcock, the wedding taking place December 6, 1860.
The happy couple moved to western Ohio, where they resided until the fall of 1861, when they moved in a covered wagon to Nebraska, settling on a farm 6 miles from Falls City, near the Missouri river. This same year he enlisted in the 2nd Nebraska Cavalry, became on corporal and was honorably discharged in 1862.
In 1883 Mr. and Mrs. Smead moved to Kearney county, Nebr., of which county Mr. Smead was elected county judge in 1892, which office he honorably filled for two terms.
In 1905 they sold their farm on the Platte and moved to the city of Kearney in Buffalo county, where, on December 6, 1910, the venerable coupled celebrated their golden wedding anniversary.
In the fall of 1913, at the solicitation of their daughter Mrs. F. G. Hayes, Mr. and Mrs. Smead moved to Francitas and built a pretty cottage where they might spend their declining years in the balmy climate of the Southland.
During his residence in Francitas he made an ever increasing number of friends, and at the time of his demise every man, woman and child in the community mourned the passing of this grand old man.
He is survived by his wife, two daughters, Anna L. Hayes of this city and Mrs. Julia R. Kinney of Wymore, Nebr., and three sons, C. A. Smead of Delta, Col., E. V. Smead, Olathe, Col., and A. G. Smead, Minatare, Nebr.
The Bee joins the entire citizenship of Francitas in extending sympathy to the bereaved ones in this sad hour.—Francitas (Tex.) Bee.
The Falls City Journal, April 26, 1915
Obituary
E. O. Smead was born in the state of New York in 1834. Settled in the eastern part of Nebraska in 1861, and moved to Kearney county in 1883. For the last year he has resided in Francitas, Texas.
He enlisted in the Second Nebraska Cavalry in 1861 and served until the close of the war.
He died at his home in Francitas, Texas, April 10, 1915, after having been sick for about two months, although confined to his bed for only one week, and appeared very happy all the time.
After the funeral Mrs. Smead returned to Wymore with her daughter, Mrs. Julia Kinny, and will spend the summer there, returning in the fall to Francitas, Texas, to spend the winter with her daughter, Mrs. Anna Hasze (Hayes).
Arthur and the two girls were with their father at the time of his death.
Minden Courier, Minden, Nebraska, April 22, 1915
Word has been received from E. V. Smead that his father, E. O. Smead passed away at his home in Francitas, Texas, April 9. Mr. Smead was well known in this county and was liked by all who knew him. He was very prominent in the reform movement of the Farmers’ Alliance and Knights of Labor in the early 90s and served as county judge of Kearney county. We much regret Mr. Smead’s departure and join his many friends here in extending sympathy to the bereaved family.
Minden Courier, Minden, Nebraska, April
22, 1915
Arlene Stewart, 73,
of Palacios passed away Wednesday, Feb. 7, 1996 in Palacios.
She was born June
13, 1923 in Pampa, TX to Henry Madden Barrett and Ruth Adee
Barrett. She was a lifelong resident of Palacios, a member of
the Church of Christ, a veteran of U. S. Navy during WW-II, and
a retired Postal Clerk. She is survived by her husband, Charles
W. Stewart of Palacios; by her daughter and son-in-law Kimberly
Stewart Thompson and Rick Thompson of Rockport; by three sisters
Winifred Thompson of Palacios, Lela Halliday of Port Lavaca and
Thelma Gifford of San Antonio; by one brother, Ed Barrett of
Palacios and by two grandchildren.
Daily Tribune, February 8, 1996
Funeral arrangements for
Charles William Stewart, Jr., 85, of Palacios were pending from the
Palacios Funeral Home. He died Saturday, April 29, 2000.
A native of Menstrie,
Scotland, Mr. Stewart was born Sept. 7, 1914 to the late Charles W.
and Mable Laughlin Stewart, Sr. A resident of Palacios since 1945,
he was a veteran of the U. S. Army, serving in World War II, and was
retired from Alcoa’s Point Comfort Operations.
Survivors include one
daughter and son-in-law, Kim and Rick Thompson of Rockport; one
brother, Jeff Stewart of Palacios; and grandchildren, Kara and
Collin Thompson of Rockport.
Visitation will be held
Wednesday, May 3, from 9 a. m. to 9 p. m., at Palacios Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the charity of
donor’s choice.
Palacios Beacon, May, 2000
Edward Carl Totman, 46, of Francitas died Oct. 15, 1996.
He was born in Union City, Pennsylvania on March 7, 1950, and worked as a custodian for Sun States Maintenance Co. in Wadsworth for 20 years and four months. He also worked at the South Texas Nuclear Plant near Bay City. He was a member of the Laborers Union of Freeport, Texas.
Totman is survived by his mother Lois May Depew Totman Fry of Francitas; sisters Karen Mosley of Cleveland, Texas and Kathy Grosshans of St. Claire Shores, Michigan and brother Henry Mason Totman, Jr. of Lolita, and step-father, Glenn Fry, Francitas.
He is preceded in death by his father Henry Mason Totman.
Services will be held Saturday, Oct. 19 at 1 p. m. at Slavik Funeral Chapel with Rev. Joe Wes Rubac officiating. Burial will be at LaBauve Cemetery in Francitas.
Pallbearers are Henry Totman, III, Rodney Stokley, Shannon Stokley, Richard Stokley, Edward Grosshans and Travis Grahmann.
Arrangements are with Slavik Funeral Home in Edna.
Daily Tribune, October 16, 1996
Graveside services for LaNelle L. Updike, 71, of Francitas, were held Tuesday, June 6 at 2 p. m. at the Palacios Cemetery with Rev. Bernard “Buck’ Richea officiating.
Mrs. Updike was born Dec. 5, 1917 in Richmond, Virginia and died June 4, 1989 at her home.
Survivors include a daughter, M. Dean Sterrett of Francitas; grandchildren, Kenneth and Rosie Sanders, Keith and Lanny Riddle, Fred Upthagrove and family and Brett Upthagrove.
Palacios Beacon, June 7, 1989
Rev.
Dennis E. Vyvial
Ganado—The Rev. Dennis E. Vyvyai, 55, of Ganado, died Tuesday, Feb. 23, 1999.
He was born Oct. 10, 1943, in LaWard to the late Edward John and Mildred Koch Vivial. He was pastor of Grace Church in Louise.
Survivors: wife, Priscilla Hickman Vyvial; son, Kevin R. Vyvial of Conroe, sisters, Dovlee Gresham and Barbara Skoruppa, both of Ganado and LaVerne Block of Port Neches, and one grandchild.
Preceded in death by: son, Christian Vyvial; and one granddaughter.
Visitation will begin at 9 a. m. Friday with family visitation from 7 to 8 p. m. at Triska Funeral Home chapel.
Services will be 2 p. m. Saturday at LaWard Pentecostal Church, the Revs. Kendall Graves, Benjamin Hibler, Christopher Calk, Kent Smith and Craig Ashcraft officiating.
Burial will be at LaBauve Cemetery in Francitas. Triska Funeral Home, El Campo, (409) 543-3681.
Victoria Advocate,
February 25, 1999
