Taylor Bros. Funeral Home

Frankie Faye Stallard Cooper, 87, was born on June 4, 1937, at home to Frank Edward and Fannie Mae Rockenbaugh Stallard in Palacios, Texas. She peacefully passed away on Thursday, March 13, 2025, at the Montgomery Home in Palacios, surrounded by love. Frankie graduated from Palacios High School in May 1955, and less than a month later, she married the love of her life, Clifford Paul Cooper, on June 11, 1955. Their love story was one of devotion, faith, and enduring companionship. Frankie and Paul were blessed with two sons, Stephen Frank, born on July 13, 1956, and Rodney Paul, born on September 9, 1959. They also experienced the heartbreak of losing an infant daughter on September 17,...

Janie R. Salazar, 93, of Van Vleck passed away January 29, 2025. She was born June 28, 1931 in Cuero, Texas to the late Juan Rodriguez and Damacia Vasquez Rodriguez. Janie had a great love for gardening, sewing, crocheting, and most of all Jesus. Janie was a member of Our Lady of Guadalupe church, a choir member for many years, and a member of Legion of Mary. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband Pasqual Salazar, Jr. and her son Pasqual Salazar III. Survivors include daughters Rosie Hernandez (Felipe), Cynthia Salazar, Dora Vasquez (Ernest), Betty Jimenez (Anthony) and Irma Gamez (Frank); sister Minie Vasquez; brother Rudy Rodriguez; 10 grandchildren; 23...

Burl "Butch" Wayne Sellers, 81, entered into eternal rest on April 16th in Victoria, TX. Son of the late Ruby Lee "White" and Roy Clarence Sellers, he was born February 20, 1943 in Bay City, TX. He graduated from Bay City High School in 1961 where he served in the Civil Air Patrol. Butch learned the value of a dollar, throwing newspapers as a young boy. He was proud to have saved enough money to buy a brand-new Cushman motor scooter. This began his love affair with motorcycles, and all things with a motor. He would go on to own several motorcycles, boats and even an airboat that he really enjoyed. Butch entered the Army in 1964. He was stationed in Korea, and proudly served as an MP in...

Walter Ewell Weakley, 86, of Palacios (Cape Carancahua), Texas, passed away Sunday, February 25, 2024. He was born October 12, 1937, in Simonton, Texas to the late Ewell F. Weakley and Elizabeth Sills Weakley. He attended Palacios High School where he played football, basketball and other sports, graduating in 1955. He attended Wharton County Jr. College and volunteered for the US Army from 1957 to 1960. He joined GTE Telephone Company after returning from the Service until he retired in 1993 as Senior Plant Engineer. Retired a second time from real estate sales in Fort Worth Texas until he moved to Cape Carancahua in 2003. Walter loved and played softball, bowling, hunting, fishing, RV...

Walter Ewell Weakley, 86, of Palacios (Cape Carancahua), Texas, passed away Sunday, February 25, 2024. He was born October 12, 1937, in Simonton, Texas to the late Ewell F. Weakley and Elizabeth Sills Weakley. He attended Palacios High School where he played football, basketball and other sports, graduating in 1955. He attended Wharton County Jr. College and volunteered for the US Army from 1957 to 1960. He joined GTE Telephone Company after returning from the Service until he retired in 1993 as Senior Plant Engineer. Retired a second time from real estate sales in Fort Worth Texas until he moved to Cape Carancahua in 2003. Walter loved and played softball, bowling, hunting, fishing, RV...

Ruth May Schwabe Leissner of Bay City, Texas passed away on July 21, 2023 at the age of 99. She was born July 12, 1924 in Hochheim, Texas to Emil and Eva McGehee Schwabe. Ruth graduated from Yoakum HS in 1940, Victoria Junior College in 1942, and received her BBA from Texas A&I in 1946. She began her teaching career at 18 years old, while pursuing her college degree in the summers, Her first year teaching was at the O'Connor Ranch (a one room school house) in Refugio County. Other area schools she taught at were Vanderbilt HS, Van Vleck HS, Jeff Davis Elementary and Pierce Elementary in Bay City. While teaching at Vanderbilt HS one of her students, Jake Leissner, set her up with his...

Melody Leigh Madden passed away at Harbor Hospice House after being released from Memorial Hermann Hospital June 14, 2023, at the age of 47. She was born November 16, 1975, the beloved daughter of George and Barbara Manna of Bay City. Melody attended Bay City High School. In 1993 she was third runner-up for Rice Festival Queen. She was involved in D.E.C.A., preparing young adults to become innovative leaders in marketing, hospitality, finance, and management. Graduating in 1994, she went on to the Culinary Arts Institute of Houston for 2 years. She worked as a chef for the last 28 years at a number of restuarants, including the Country Club and the Blessing American Legion. Melody is...

Annie Kubena Ledwig, 95, of Bay City, Texas, passed away on Wednesday, March 1, 2023. She was born August 28, 1927 in Chriesman, Texas to the late Henry and Annie Macat Kubena. She was a beautician at Green Vanity in Bay City for many years before opening her own shop in Markham. She was preceded in death by her parents; 5 brothers; 1 sister; and twin great-grandsons. She is survived by daughters, Shirley (Fred) Brown, Barbara Halfmann; sister, Elsa Durham; grandchildren, Patrick (Sonya) Brown, Michael (Melissa) Brown, Brad (Melissa) Slanina, Roxann (Richard) Stevenson, and Clinton Halfmann; and 9 great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, please donate in Annie's memory to your favorite...

Doris Lee Bell Moberley was born February 22, 1920 in Matagorda at a home on the corner of Peach and Matagorda Street, the fourth child of Frank and Nora Bell. They lived near Matagorda Bay and Old Gulf where Frank Bell, her father, worked for Texas Gulf Sulphur and where she enjoyed the love and fellowship of her large family of brothers and sisters. Many of her early activities centered around fishing, crabbing, sailing, swimming and enjoying the East Bay. One of her favorite things was sailing across the East Bay with her dad and floundering all night and sailing back home at first light. She passed away January 4, 2023. Doris was preceded in death by her sisters, Irene Jinks, Gladys...

Larry Arthur Augsburger, 81, of Montgomery Texas, passed away on August 24th and has gone to be with Jesus. Larry was preceded in death by his father and mother and beloved brother Harper. He was born on September 14th, 1940, to Lawrence (Six) and Minnie Mae in Bay City, Texas. He graduated from Lamar University with a business degree in 1963. Larry had a very successful business career rising to a key executive at Tenneco Oil E&P, successful in Private Equity, and CEO / Owner of Samik Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation. He was a firm believer in hard work and the pursuit of perfection. Larry was an all-American and 4-year letterman at Lamar where he led the team in 3 basketball...

Helen Alice Seifert Hunter, 93, was born in Wharton County, Texas on April 11, 1929. She passed away peacefully at the home of her granddaughter on August 12, 2022. She was a longtime resident of Buchanan Dam, Texas. She was known for her beautiful flowers, bountiful gardens, scrumptious pastries, seamstress abilities, wacky humor, and most of all, her impeccable work ethic. She was preceded in death by her son Darrell Keith Hunter, her parents Charles and Rosalia Seifert, brother Walter Seifert, sister Martha Glick, and brother Henry Seifert. She is survived by her son Dan Hunter, daughter Jane Waters and husband Wayne, daughter Colleen Clements and husband Larry, son Darrick Hunter and...

Ethel Nelson Williams, 99, of bay City went home to Heaven on July 13, 2022. She was born June 4, 1923 to Roy Nelson and Carrie Belle (Shuey) Nelson at the old historic Dr. Loose Hospital in Bay City, Texas. She grew up on the family ranch in Collegeport, Texas and attended Blessing High School, graduating as salutatorian in 1940. Ethel married her high school sweetheart, Roy E. Williams after World War II and has lived in Matagorda County for her entire 99 years. After many years as a principal, school teacher, cattlewoman and educator, she will be laid to rest at Hawley Cemetery near Blessing. The service will be at 4:00 PM Sunday, July 17, 2022 at the Pavilion at Hawley Cemetery with...

Bertha Ann Genzer Denbow, 91, of Ganado passed away July 12, 2022. She was born February 24, 1931 in Midfield, TX to the late Ves Hale and Grace Aiken Hale. She worked for 14 1/2 years at HEB in Bay City. After retiring in 1980, she joined the Midfield homemakers Club. She was also a lifetime member of the VFW Post 2438 Ladies Auxiliary in Bay City. Her hobbies were quilting and crocheting. She crocheted caps for MD Anderson, striving to make at least 12 caps per month. Bertha was known as "Miss Bertie" to her friends, but to her grandchildren she was simply "Granny" of "Badger". She was preceded in death by her husbands George Genzer and Francis "Red" Denbow and by her son Jerry...

Ralph Oscar Brown, 74, of Palacios, TX passed away May 12, 2022 after a short illness. He was born on July 13, 1947 in Edna, TX to the late Oscar Homer Brown and Katherine Lenz Brown. They moved to Palacios when Ralph was in the 7th grade. He was privileged to have played for the Palacios Sharks Class 2-A State Championship Football team 1964-1965. Memories never fade! On February 24, 1968 he married Mary Ann Brune. They had 54 years together. He worked for Alcoa for 33 years. He was a member of the Pipefitters Local Union, Palacios Fire Dept., Masonic Lodge; American Quarter Horse Assoc. and Texas Quarter Horse Assoc. He loved to garden. He enjoyed vacationing in the mountains of New...

Ruby Hahn Richardson, 91, of Round Rock, formerly of Bay City, Texas, passed away on May 6, 2022, in Round Rock, Texas. She was born to John and Elsie De Reese Hahn in El Maton, Matagorda County on November 20, 1930. She joined siblings Johnnie, Elroy & Lorene on the family farm. She began public education in a two-room multi-graded country school. The "school" is now National Hall, a popular dancing spot. In the third grade, the school was closed and the children were bussed to Blessing Elementary. In high school, Ruby was involved with sports, clubs, drama and cheerleading. She graduated from Blessing High School as Valedictorian in 1948. She began college at Texas A & I in...

Jeanette Cecile Opella, 82, passed away suddenly February 26, 2022 in Houston, Texas and will be greatly missed by her family and friends. She was born March 12, 1939 in Nada, Texas to Richard Mike Labay and Viola Malek Labay, while the family was residing in El Campo. She grew up attending St. Phillips Catholic Church in El Campo and graduated from El Campo High School. She attended Wharton County Junior College. In 1958, she married her high school sweetheart, Ernest J. Opella. In 1967, Ernest and Jeanette started a Bookkeeping and Tax Preparation Business with their office in the old Bay-Tex Hotel in Bay City. With a growing business, two and half years later, they purchased...

Dolly Ann Hamlin, 86, of Palacios passed away December 24, 2021. She was born November 25, 1935 in Palacios, TX to the late Walter Milam and Josephine Callaway Milam. Her life centered around her family, her church and the Palacios community. She was an excellent cook and was most happy when cooking for others. Her German Chocolate Cake was famous all over town and it will be greatly missed. Although she was raised in the Methodist Church, she spent over 60 years as an active member of the First Baptist Church of Palacios serving on an infinite number of committees and of course serving food for countless events. She was a member of the The Alapha Club for over five decades and active...

Richard Joseph Knapik, 72, of Bay City passed away October 14, 2021. He was born December 22, 1948 in Chicago, Illinois to the late Joseph Knapik and Eleanor Kasprak Knapik. He served in the US Army during the Vietnam War and was awarded two bronze stars for heroism and a Combat Infantryman's badge. He was a proud member of the Wolfhound Pack 27th Infantry Regimental Historical Society. He was a graduate of both St. Vincent de Paul Preparatory Seminary and the University of Colorado. Richard was a member and Ordained Elder of First Presbyterian Church in Bay City. He managed Bay City Plumbing Supply from 1980-1991; served as Director of Bay City Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture...

Raymond Salinas, Jr., 76, of Bay City was called home to meet his Lord and Savior on Saturday, September 11, 2021. He was born in Pawnee, TX on August 20, 1945 to Raymond Salinas, Sr. and Maria Alaniz Salinas. He was a retired construction worker who devoted his life to serving the Lord. He followed his calling and became a full time Pastor for the Church of God of Prophecy, and set out to save every soul possible while teaching the word of God. Raymond is survived by his wife of two years, Maria G. Salinas; his sons Richard R. Salinas of Edna, Eddie (Marie) Salinas of Port Lavaca, Daniel Salinas of Francitas and Michael (Anna Marie) Salinas of Vanderbilt; 12 grandchildren and 6 great...