Obituaries

Anita Oleta Graves, 80, of San Saba, passed away on February 5, 2020, in San Saba, Texas. Anita was born in Cherokee, Texas to Arthur Harris and Oleta West on August 31, 1939. She married Coe Graves on July 29, 1964, in San Saba, Texas.

She went to school in Haskell, Texas. Anita was a homemaker who loved her family dearly. Anita loved music, singing and playing the guitar with her family. She also enjoyed fishing. She loved art and took great pleasure in painting and loved colors. She also enjoyed sewing and was very creative. She was also a member of the China Creek Home Demonstration Club.

Anita Oleta Graves is preceded in death by husband Coe Graves, sister, Meda Rose Warchesik and her parent’s Arthur Harris and Oleta Downing.

Johnny Kirk Edmondson, 73, of McCaulley passed away Sunday, February 9, 2020, at Fisher County Hospital in Rotan.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00 P.M. Wednesday, February 12, 2020, at Bethel Assembly with Carter Edmondson officiating; interment will follow at Trent Garden of Memories under the direction of McCoy Funeral Home. A visitation was held 5:30 to 7:30 P.M. Tuesday, February 11, 2020 at the funeral home. A family Holy Mass of Christian Burial was held at Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church in Merkel with Father Fred Nawarskas officiating.

Vondene Wilder, age 85, of San Saba, Texas passed away in Marble Falls, Texas on Tuesday, January 28, 2020 with her family by her side.

Vondene was born in Moline, Texas on October 26, 1934 to Henry Spincer Adams and Lillie Mae (Banta). She married Jack Warren Wilder on September 29, 1957 in San Saba, Texas. Vondene was a homemaker and worked for the San Saba County E.M.S. as a secretary for 13 years. She was a member of the Westside Church of Christ. Vondene enjoyed cooking, gardening, and oil painting. Her children were her special accomplishment in life but the grandchildren brought her the most joy. She loved watching them grow and change.

Those left behind to cherish her memory are her children: son, Ray Dale Wilder and wife, Trish, of Dripping Springs, Texas and daughter, Janice Bates of San Saba, Texas; eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; and one brother, James Adams of San Saba, Texas.

Patsy, Granny, Grandma Patsy, was born September 21, 1935 and passed away February 2, 2020 in Round Rock, TX at the age of 84.

While Patsy’s formative years were incredibly tough due to growing up during the Depression Era in Spur, Texas and the Bend Community, she lived an amazingly full life. She spoke of not having shoes or any toys and how painful it was to have to pick cotton as a child. She often reminisced on how special her Aunt Ruth and Grandma Moore were and felt they truly saved her when they drove to Spur, Texas to pick her up and bring her back to the Bend to live.

On September 2, 1954, she married the love of her life, Trenton Hamrick, in White Settlement, Texas. She recently stated this was the happiest day of her entire life and loved him fiercely for over 65 years, even though she says he didn’t hold her hand for 45 of those.

We lost a legend - a “good ole boy” as they would say. This past Sunday, R.J. Henniger, age 83, passed away on his home place. Through the years and generations, he touched many, many hearts throughout his work or just by helping the people in the Bend, San Saba, and Lampasas communities.

R.J. always had a joke up his sleeve and could make you laugh at any given time and brighten your day. He was great with kids and we always saw him most happy with his grandkids. Lots of times he would have his R.J. serious look, but every time that the house was full, he would be laughing and have a bright smile on his face.

Richard Jacob “R.J.” Henniger was born at home in Bend, Texas on April 4, 1936 to Moody and Ella (Stork) Henniger in the midst of the depression. He learned a strong work ethic at an early age, which drove him his entire life.

Wayne was born March 26, 1950 in San Saba, Texas, the third of five children to famed saddle maker, Earl Homesley, and Imogene Bode Homesley, who was a professional seamstress. Wayne has lived most of his life in Llano County. He was a skilled horseman and helped ranchers from New Mexico to Central Texas for over 50 years. He raised outstanding Catahoula Leopard and Blue Lacy cow dogs and was known as an ole’ horse trader.

For many years, Wayne took care of Gene Hall’s Pecan Creek and Dutch Mt. Ranch cattle operation and was foreman of the Evans Ranch and the Race Ranch. He has worked for numerous ranches throughout his life in Llano County. He was honored when he was presented with the 2016 Hill Country Livestock Raiser’s Association Cowboy of the Year award, as that year began his battle with prostate cancer.

Samuel Harold Jones Jr., 73, passed on January 17, 2020.

Samuel was born on July 1, 1946 to loving parents, Teanie Vera and Samuel Harold Jones and is survived by his beloved wife, Laura Jones Lemmer; sister, Bonnye Jones; brother, Donald W. Jones; niece, Margot Jones; nephew, Jeffrey Todd Bingham with wife, Joni Sue Bingham; and great-nieces: Nikolette Carys Bingham and Bianca Nerys Bingham. He will be dearly missed by his longterm executive assistant and friend, Connie Carpenter.

He was asked to become a consultant to CEOs in the Austin market. He formed Executive Growth and as a part of that effort, became a Chair for Vistage International and established the first group in Austin, Texas. Mr. Jones has received two Vistage Chair Excellence Awards. Samuel H. Jones Jr.’s activities included:

A memorial service for Jack Arland Jackson, age 96, of Lindale was held on Saturday, January 25, 2020, in the sanctuary of Marvin United Methodist Church, Tyler, Texas. Services were conducted by Dr. Charles R. Millikan, son-in-law of the deceased. A private burial followed at the Jackson Family Cemetery under the direction of the Caudle-Rutledge-Daugherty Funeral Home of Lindale.

Mr. Jackson died in his home on January 19, 2020. Jack was born in Richland Springs, San Saba County, Texas, on November 8, 1923, to J.D. and Bessie Ophelia (Wilton) Jackson. After the death of his mother when he was five-years-old, Jack was raised by his mother’s sister, Aunt Mary Winkle, and his sixteen-year-old cousin, Kermit.

David Dennis Mitchell Jr. passed away January 21, 2020 in Dallas, Texas. He was born May 10, 1961, in Corpus Christi, Texas, to David Dennis Mitchell Sr. and Hazel Woods Mitchell. He also lived in Houston and Irving; in Chico, California; England and Norway; in New Orleans; and in Dallas; all where his father worked as a geophysicist.

In fifth grade, likely 11-years-old, David was quarterback of his youth tackle football team, which played for the Texas state championship in Irving's Texas Stadium, then home of the Dallas Cowboys. After graduating high school in New Orleans, David matriculated at University of Texas, Austin, and declared a dual-major. Midway in his first semester, a mental health crisis forced his withdrawal.

Dustin Marc Coronado, 28, passed away Friday January 17, 2020, in Temple, Texas, surrounded by his family after a long battle with cancer.

Dustin was born February 17, 1991, in Llano, Texas, to Diana (Coronado) and Marcos Ramos. Dustin was a graduate of San Saba High School (Class of 2011) and Universal Technical Institute (Class of 2012).

After graduating college in Houston, Texas, Dustin returned to his hometown of San Saba, Texas to be closer to family. He began working at Hamrick’s Automotive and there he had a work-family that supported him.

In 2011, Dustin met Marisa Hernandez and they were married August 22, 2015, and had four beautiful daughters: Christina, Selenda, Ximena and Evelyn. In addition to spending time with his family, Dustin had a passion for winning races, and making trucks fast and loud. Dustin had a funny, joking personality and was always making friends and family laugh. He touched many lives with his sense of humor.