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Obituaries for December 1, 2007
Adolph Arthur “Art” Andrews, Jr. was born to Adolph Andrews Sr. and Lois Wilton Andrews in Corpus Christi, TX on October 29, 1940. The oldest of three children, Adolph grew up in Corpus Christi and attended school there. Upon graduation from Solomon M. Coles High School, he attended Prairie View College. He then joined the U.S. Air Force and served in Japan and other countries. Later he joined the U.S. Army and served his country in Vietnam. After leaving the service, he had an extensive career in politics as well as in radio and television.
His father preceded him in death. He leaves to mourn his mother, Lois Andrews of Rockport; ex-wife, Yvonne Andrews of Kansas City, MO; one son, Eric J. and wife Elise Andrews of Kansas City, MO; one brother, Lawrence A. Andrews of Austin; one sister, Alma Andrews of Fontana, CA; several nieces and nephews, and a multitude of caring relatives and friends.
The family thanks all of the staff at Rockport Coastal Care Center for their thoughtful, loving care of Art.
A memorial service was held Friday, November 30, 2007, at 10 a.m. at Charlie Marshall Funeral Home, 2003 W. Wheeler Avenue, Aransas Pass. Reverend Frank Cage, Pastor of New Light Ebenezer Baptist Church of Austin, officiated.
Alan R. Beckcom Jr., 50, passed away Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2007. He was born Feb. 5, 1957 in Beeville and had been a resident of Rockport for 22 years. He attended the Gospel Lighthouse and New Beginnings churches.
He was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by two cousins, Lynn Brooks of Rockport, and Sandra Bishop of Beeville.
A celebration of life service will be held at a later date.
Junior Hall, 30, passed away Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2007. He was born in Booneville, KY Oct. 25, 1977 and moved to this area 28 years ago. He was a member of the Victory Chapel in Rockport.
He was preceded in death by his father, Luther Hall. He is survived by his wife, Tammy Hall of Rockport; three sons, Joshua Leon Hall, Alex Dylan Hall, and Bradley Hayden Hall, all of Rockport; two daughters, Amber Mae Hall, and Tina Gayle Hall, both of Rockport; his mother, Mae (Jimmy) Ellis of Aransas Pass; one sister; one nephew; two nieces; six aunts; three uncles; and numerous cousins.
Graveside services were held at Fulton Cemetery Wednesday, Nov. 28 with Rev. Aaron Jayne officiating.
Irmel R. Hamm, 79, passed away Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2007.
She is survived by her husband, Warren B. Hamm; one son, Ralph (Vicky) Hamm, both of Rockport; one daughter Terri (Rex) Johnson of Colorado Springs, CO; and eight grandchildren.
Funeral services will be private.
Dick N. “Buddy” Rogers, 67, passed away Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2007. He was born June 22, 1940 in Cut Off, LA and was a former Rockport resident. Rogers served in the U.S. Air Force including in the Middle East crisis, in Vietnam, in Korea, and in the Dominican Republic.
He was preceded in death by his parents, a daughter, a son, a sister, and a brother. He is survived by his wife, Ruby Johnson Rogers of San Antonio; one daughter, Charlene (Adam) Arguelles of San Antonio; one son, Chuck Rogers of Wood Hi; three grandchildren; and one sister.
A memorial service was held Saturday, Dec. 1 at Friendship Baptist Church in Victoria with Jack Bourland and Doyle Warnell officiating.
Virginia Estelle Adolphus Shivers passed away Monday, Nov. 26, 2007 in Rockport at the age of 97. She was born Nov. 14, 1910 at the family home on Church Street (just south of the old Picton Lumber Company property) in Rockport to Amos Jonathan Adolphus and Cecilia Roberts Adolphus. Following family tradition, she was named for her maternal grandmother, Virginia Azalea Teal (who was born in Lamar in 1862) and for family friend, Estelle Terry, wife of Dr. Terry. The Terrys lived across the street, now the home of Mary Lucille and George Miller. Virginia never liked the name Estelle and once told her mother that she wished she had been given her grandmother's entire name. Later she would give the name “Azalea” to her second born daughter.
Virginia was a sixth generation Texan, with two great-great-great uncles settling on the San Antonio River around 1819 or 1820. They were followed shortly thereafter by her great-grandfather's brother, Peter Teal. All three of these uncles were survivors of the Goliad Massacre in 1836. They were saved by the efforts of their ranching neighbor, Carlos De La Garza. Her great-grandfather, John Teal, settled his family in Lamar in the 1850s on land just north of the present St. Charles Bay Club. The family called it “Point Pleasure.” Her great-grandfather, William Redmond Roberts, had come to Texas in the 1840s and served as the lighthouse keeper at Harbor Island between 1859 and 1867, whereupon the family moved to St. Joseph Island. Her great-great-great grandfather, George Albert Brundrett, who lived on St. Joseph Island, drowned off Mud Island in 1849.
She considered growing up in Rockport ideal. She played in the “big tree” (corner of Magnolia and Nopal) just as her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren have. Much time was spent at the beach and she often sailed with Judy Sorenson and her brother, Paul Clark. However, she told her family that after one sailing trip to Saint Joseph Island, she was forbidden to go again. Seems the wind dropped completely and they were very late in getting back. She attended dances with Paul Clark at the St. Charles Bay Club. Since this was before the causeway was built, they had to take a ferry. One night, Paul Clark's car broke down before they got to the club. He had to walk through the woods to get help.
During her elementary school years, the family lived in Port Arthur, where her father leased boats to the Army Corps of Engineers. Two of her friends, Maureen and Allan Shivers from Port Arthur would later become cousins by marriage. When Virginia was in the tenth grade, the family returned to Rockport. Virginia said during the 1919 storm, they would ride down to the beach during the lulls. Water only came to the first step at their home on the corner of Magnolia and Nopal.
Virginia graduated from Rockport High School in 1928. Two of her closest friends were among the 17 graduates - Judy Sorenson Collier and Dorothy Prophet Cresselus. Her parents wanted her to go to Our Lady of the Lake College in San Antonio, but she wanted to be a business woman. Upon graduating from business school, she first worked in the sheriff's office for her cousin, Sheriff Albert Brundrett. She then worked as secretary for Mr. Fred Percival, the resident engineer for the highway department. This was at the time of the Copano Causeway construction.
In 1938, she married Arley Cruse Shivers from Woodville. He was in Rockport working for an oil company and living with Miss Connie and Mr. Jack Hagar. They met at a dance at Mills Wharf. In those days, she said that all of the girls wore long dresses. They became engaged at the roadside park, now destroyed by the Wal-Mart development. They were married by Father Kelly in the rectory of Sacred Heart Catholic Church on Sept. 9, 1938. (Arley wasn't Catholic, so they could not be married in the Church.) They honeymooned at the St. Anthony Hotel in San Antonio.
In 1951, Arley Shivers was appointed sheriff of Aransas County upon the death of Virginia's uncle, Arthur Curry. He remained sheriff until his death in office in 1962. In 1957, Virginia had become secretary to the principal of Aransas County High School. However, upon the death of her husband, she was appointed sheriff, and a few weeks later, she was elected and remained in office until January 1965. When asked by a well-known Western historian in she “packed a pistol” when she was sheriff, she replied, “No, that is what I have my boys for.” At the time, she was only the third elected woman sheriff in Texas history. She continued to work in the sheriff's office until 1972, when a close family friend, James H. Sorenson, convinced her to become his personal secretary at the First National Bank. She remained at First National Bank until 1998, even after she suffered her first heart attack, she returned to the bank on a more limited schedule, but it was very hard for her to finally give it up altogether.
In 1961, she was made a life member of the Texas Congress of Parents and Teachers. In 1978, she was named Rockport's Business and Professional Woman of the Year. She previously served as the Democratic Party Chairperson for Aransas County. She was a member of many civic and professional organizations including the Business and Professional Women's Association, Girl Scouts of America - Troop Leader; Cub Scout Den Mother and Aransas County Medical Society (EMS).
She was preceded in death by her parents, Amos Jonathan Adolphus and Mary Cecilia Roberts Adolphus; her husband, Arley Cruse Shivers; daughter, Rutha Azalea Butler; and three brothers, Gerald, George and Joseph Adolphus.
Survivors include her son and daughter in law, Robert and Nancy Shivers of San Antonio; daughter and son in law, Mary Martha and Alan Culpin of Denver, CO; son in law, Fredrick Morgan Butler of Carriere, MS; six grandchildren, Caren (Blain) Eno of Warrington, PA, Susan (Blake) Miller of Austin, Brian (Karen) Schmitt of Houston; Rene Butler of Wheat Ridge, CO, Alison (Darriell) Carter of Carriere, MS, and Morgan (Tabatha) Butler of Carriere, MS; and 13 great grandchildren.
Visitation for family and friends will be from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m., Friday, Nov. 30, 2007 at Charlie Marshall Funeral Home Chapel - Rockport with Rosary being recited at 7 p.m. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 1, 2007 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Monsignor Louis Kihneman III as celebrant. Interment will follow at the Rockport Cemetery.
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