Melitona Zapata Rodriguez, Age 92 of Kenedy, TX passed away Sunday, January 20, 2019 in San Antonio, TX. Melitona was born on April 8, 1926 in Fredericksburg, TX to the late Maximo and Paula Robeldo Zapata.  Melitona was a loving Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother and a member of Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church.  She is preceded in death by her husband, Felipe V. Rodriguez; parents, Maximo and Paula Robeldo Zapata; sisters, Lina Zapata, Estephana Garza, Maria Morin, Guadalupe Zapata; brothers, Maximo Zapata, Joe Zapata, Casamiro Zapata and Domingo Zapata.  She is survived by her daughters, Linda Torres of Kenedy, Irma Rodriguez of Kenedy; son, John Rodriguez and wife Elizabeth of Deer Park, TX, 10 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.  A Holy Rosary will be recited Tuesday, January 22, 2019 at 7PM in the Eckols Funeral Home Chapel. Funeral Mass will be celebrated Wednesday, January 23, 2019 at 9:30AM at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church with the Rev. Norbert Hermann officiating.  Interment will follow in the Loma Alta Cemetery.  Serving as Pallbearers will be: Martin Alaniz, Jr., John Phillip Rodriguez, Christopher Torres, Jaydin Chapa, Hector Chapa, Gustavo Aguilar, Noe Cardenas, and Joe Daniel Trevino.

Jimmie Hollan, of Kenedy,TX born  April 21, 1919 in Karnes County passed away on Wednesday, January 16, 2019 in Beeville,TX at the age of 99. Mr. Hollan was a U.S. Army veteran. He is preceded in death by his wife, Pauline and daughter, Grace Aguirre; son-in-law, Lore Cantu Jr. and his siblings. Surivors include his daughters: Alice Cantu of Beeville,TX and Helen (Rudy) Gutierrez of Temple,TX; son-in-law: Armando Aguirre, of Kenedy,TX; 8 grandchildren: Cindy Cantu, Jimmy “Bo” (Elsa) Cantu, Gino (Deb) Aguirre, Dennie (Laurie) Aguirre, John (Mary Alice) Aguirre, Grace (Paul) Tarwater, Jessica (Tim) Ward, Alice (Rob) Patton; 11 great grandchildren; 1 great great grandchild and other relatives. Visitation will be held Friday, January 18, 2019 from 11:00a.m. to 9:00p.m. with a Rosary recited at 7:00p.m. at Eckols Chapel. Mass of Christian Burial was held Saturday, January 19, 2019 at 10:30a.m. at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church with interment in Loma Alta Cemetery with U.S. Army Honors. Pallbearers: Jimmy “Bo” Cantu, Gino Aguirre, Dennis Aguirre, John Aguirre, Jake Cantu, Andrew Aguirre.

Sue Beth Perkins, of Pettus,TX born on February 10, 1956 in Beeville,TX to James Allen Jennings and Zona Marie Shaw Jennings passed away at her home on December 14, 2018 at the age of 62. Sue is preceded in death by her son, Michael David Bull and her sisters: DeeDee Jennings and Connie Rollings. Survivors include her husband, Lawrence Perkins,Jr. of Pettus,TX; sister: Jamie Jennings Riley of Tolar,TX;daughters: Jennie Perkins of San Antonio,TX, Kim Hall (Michael) of Prosper,TX and Kathy Bull of Tuleta,TX and Kelly Perkins of Pflugerville,TX; sons: Clayton Ross Sontag (Caitlin), of Big Springs, TX and Tre Perkins of Pettus,TX; 6 grandchildren; 4 great grandchildren; and other relatives. Memorial services will be held on Saturday, January 26, 2019 at the Pettus Civic Center, Pettus,TX at 12:00 Noon led by family and friends.

Reginald “Carroll” C. Atkinson Jr., of Three Rivers, TX,  born on May 20, 1943 to Reginald “Reggie” Atkinson,Sr. and Zelda Hargreaves Atkinson passed away on Tuesday, January 8, 2019 at the age of 75. Carroll worked Oilfield for 57 years and was also a Fishing Guide for 25 years. He is preceded in death by his parents. Survivors include his wife of 52 years: Dorene “Dodie” Grossman Atkinson; his daughter, Cindy (Gibby) Orsak of New Braunfels,TX; sons, Michael Scott (Debbie) Atkinson of Falls City, TX and David Wayne (Brenda) Schumann of Refugio,TX; six grandchildren: A.J. Atkinson, Travis Atkinson, Tyler Orsak, Karissa Orsak (Joseph) Cantu, Michelle Orsak, Aaron (Riley) Schumann; great grandchildren: Eva, Bella and Alina; sisters: Kay (Joe) Foster, of Seguin,TX and D.J. Decas of Karnes City,TX; brother, Randy (Wendy) Atkinson of Choate,TX; many nieces and nephews and other relatives. Visitation will be held Thursday, January 10, 2019 from 5:00p.m. to 7:00p.m. at Eckols Chapel. Funeral services Friday, January 11, 2019 at 10:30a.m. at Eckols Chapel  with Rev. Pat Traxler officiating. Interment to follow in Choate Cemetery. Pallbearers: Bill Stolle, Davey Black, Chris Thompson, Jr., Jr. Wagner, Ronnie Hoff and Donny McDonald. Memorials may be made to either mdanderson.org or brushcountrycowboychurch.com.

RV Donnell, born on May 2, 1931 in Karnes County, TX passed away suddenly on January 2, 2019 at the age of 87. Mr. Donnell was a U.S. Army veteran. RV is preceded in death by his wife Frances, 2006 and his son, James, 2013. He is survived by: his daughter, Brenda Kotzur of Kenedy,TX; grandsons, Kelly Kotzur and wife Lindy and Colton Donnell; great grandchildren: Victoria Kotzur and Parker Kotzur; sisters: Ellen (Willie) Audilet of Kenedy,TX, Judy Hedke and Fay Rathmel, both who preceded him also in death. He is also survived by his brothers: Tommy Kenneth (Glenda) Donnell of Port Arthur,TX, Charles (Eunice) Donnell of Karnes City,TX, Gene (Linda) Donnell of Kenedy,TX, and Jay Donnell who preceded him in death. Visitation will be held Saturday, 8:00a.m. to 1:30p.m. with Funeral Services beginning at 2:00p.m. at Eckols Chapel with Randy Witte officiating. Interment to follow in Kenedy Cemetery with U.S. Army Honors and Memorial Detachment. In Lieu of Flowers, the family request the memorial contributions be made to the American Heart Association, Texas Affiliate Inc., P.O. Box 15186, Austin, TX 78761-5186.

Luis Antonio Garza, of Richmond, TX, born on February 23, 1976 in Richmond,TX to Henry Saenz Garza and Maria Sylvia Cruz Garza passed away on December 17, 2018 at the age of 42. Luis is survived by his parents: Henry S. and Maria Sylvia Garza; his sons: Jordan Antonio Garza, and Andrew Fuller Garza, both of Richmond, TX and daughter Kathryn Korryn Garza, all of Richmond, TX; two brothers: Enrigue”Henry” C. and Stacy Garza, of Tomball, TX and Edward Cruz and Jennifer Garza, of Richmond,TX; five nephews: Cole Garza, Bryce Williams, Aiden Garza, Dylan Garza, and Isiah Garza.; and other relatives. Visitation Friday, December 21, 2018 from 1:00p.m. to 9:00p.m. with a Rosary to be recited at 7:000p.m. at Eckols Chapel. Mass of Christian Burial  will be held Saturday, December 22, 2018 at 10:00a.m.  at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church with interment in Loma Alta Cemetery. Pallbearers: Navied Sadeghi, Felipe Garza III, Alberto Garza, Kenny White, Keith Gonzalez, Ricardo Montemayor Jr., Cole Garza, and Bryce Williams. Flowers welcome.

Katherine Wood, Age 86 of Kenedy, TX passed away on Sunday, December 16, 2018 in Kenedy, TX. Katherine was born on April 30, 1932 in Kenedy, TX to the late Domitilo And Formosina Barrera Perez.    She retired from the KISD after 41 years of service, was a member of The First Baptist Church in Kenedy and a loving Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother, Aunt and Friend to many.  Katherine is preceded in death by her parents, Domitilo and Formosina Barrera Perez; sisters, Emma Esparza, Alicia Gomez; brothers, Gilbert Perez and Crispin Perez.  Katherine is survived by her children, Mary Alice Wood of Kenedy, David Wood and wife Dorothy of Cuero, Janette “Penny” Bowen and husband Tim of Karnes City; grandchildren, Bianca (John) Hulsey of Converse, David James (Ashley) Wood of Beeville, Ashley (Brandon) Chesser of Kenedy, Brayden Bowen of Karnes City, Waylon Guerrero of Karnes City, Laci Rogers of Oklahoma, 3 Great-Grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.  Family Visitation will be held Thursday, December 20, 2018 from 6PM to 8PM in the Eckols Funeral Home Chapel. Services will be Friday, December 21, 2018 at 11AM at The First Baptist Church in Kenedy with the Rev. Matt Singleton and Pastor Bobby Gomez officiating.  Interment will follow in the Sacred Heart Cemetery in Kenedy, TX.

Claire Nieschwietz Chesnutt, born in Falls City on February 23, 1922, died in Houston on December 17, 2018. Her first and much-loved job was at a San Antonio radio station during the last years of World War II; when, like so many other women at that time, she was pushed out to make room for a returning soldier, she turned to elementary education. She first taught in a one-room schoolhouse and ultimately became a beloved fourth-grade teacher to hundreds of children in Poth and Kenedy. She met her future husband, John Wood Chesnutt, at coffee after Mass one Sunday in Kenedy. He died prematurely in 1963, leaving her with five children aged six months to 12, and one of her great achievements was to raise them on little more than a schoolteacher’s salary. After she retired, she moved to Kerrville, where she quickly developed a wide circle of friends despite having known no one when she arrived. She later moved to Rockport and then Houston in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Her daughter Mary Claire Luce died in 2014. She is survived by her children Jane Chesnutt (W. Mallory Rintoul), John Clark Chesnutt (Linda Chesnutt), Rachel Blasdell (Larry Blasdell) and Julia Dutton (Steve Dutton), her grandchildren Michael, Sara and Emily Blasdell, Jeffrey and Richard Herring and Ashley and Nicholas Dutton, seven great-grandchildren, her last surviving sibling, Elaine Warnken, and about two dozen nieces and nephews. We thought she’d make it to at least 100…she didn’t quite get there, but well done in every way, Mom!

A visitation will be held from 4 – 6 p.m. on Thursday, December 20 at Eckol’s Funeral Home, 420 West Liveoak St., Kenedy, Texas. The Funeral Mass will be at 2 p.m. on Friday, December 21 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Falls City, Texas followed by interment in the Falls City Cemetery.

Charles William “Billy Merritt, of Kenedy, Texas born March 23, 1931 in Kenedy, TX passed away on Saturday, December 8, 2018 at the age of 87. Billy is preceded in death by his parents, William (Bill) Merritt and Thelma Dunn Merritt.  He is survived by his wife Margaret; his sons: Mike (Debbie L.) Merritt of Victoria, TX and Pat (Debbie D.) of Huffman, TX; grandsons: Jason Merritt wife Kristine, Josh Merritt, Jacob Merritt wife Sarah, Clay Merritt, Tyler Merritt wife Jessica; great grandchlildren: Braden Merritt, Zach Merritt, Kate Merritt, Kensey Merritt, Rylee Merritt, Parker Merritt, Cannon Merritt, Callahan Merritt; brother: C.J. (Carol) Merritt of Grand Prairie,TX and other relatives. Visitation will be held Wednesday, December 12, 2018 at 9:00a.m. with Funeral Services at 11:00a.m. at Eckols Chapel with interment in Choate Cemetery. Pallbearers: Jason, Josh, Jacob, Clay Tyler and Braden Merritt.

Mark  Anthony DeLosSantos, of Runge,TX,  born on October 9, 1973 to Emerardo DeLos Santos and Consuelo Charles DeLos Santos passed away on December 6, 2018 at the age of 45. Mark is preceded in death by his parents, sisters: JoAnn Tejada, Mary Ann Mendoza; brothers: Hector and Jonas DeLosSantos. He is survived by his wife, Mary Ramirez DeLosSantos; daughters: Sierra Flores and Alissa DeLosSantos; son, Nick DeLosSantos; sisters: Anna Flores and Diana Tejada; brothers: Stephen DeLosSantos and Emerardo DeLosSantos II; many nieces,nephews and other relatives and friends. Private memorial services will be held.