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Bryan William Bottlinger died April 2, 2007 at Hamilton General Hospital with many family members at his side.
He was born on Feb. 25, 1929, in Hamilton County, the son of Frank Ermin and Gertrude Ester (Schrank) Bottlinger. The couple had four sons: Earl, Wayne, Mr. Bottlinger, and Dean.
The Bottlinger family was faithful members of St. Paul’s Lutheran in Aleman, where on May 17, 1929, he was baptized by Pastor Moerbe.
Mr. Bottlinger grew up attending church each week. When he was old enough, he began confirmation instruction and on March 29, 1942, he was confirmed as a communicant member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church by Pastor Leifer. Pastor Leifer chose Psalm 37:5 as Mr. Bottlinger’s confirmation verse: “Commit your way to the Lord; Trust in Him and He will act.” These were words Mr. Bottlinger took to heart and sought earnestly to share with others.
When Mr. Bottlinger was only 14 years old, he began teaching Sunday School and when there was a great need he assisted Pastor Leifer with confirmation instruction, sometimes even meeting with students individually to help them.
He grew up on the family farm where he learned the value of hard work and where he gained a true love for the outdoors. As a boy, he would hunt and fish, two hobbies which he loved throughout his entire life. When Mr. Bottlinger was a very young man, he was drafted into the United States Army. The war in Korea was being fought and he was stationed in Japan. Mr. Bottlinger loved his country and served faithfully and he was overjoyed to return home when his tour of duty was completed.
The love for ranching, which he had learned as a boy, turned out to be the focus of his working life and a means to bless countless young people in our community. Mr. Bottlinger worked for more than thirty years as a feed salesman for The Gerald Company which served a large portion of central Texas. Throughout his adult life, Mr. Bottlinger gave his time and resources to help the young people of Hamilton County with their 4-H and FFA projects. He was always ready to give advice or lend a hand at the stock shows and he worked very diligently to ensure every young person was able to participate, even lending the use of his own land for the young people to raise their animals.
Mr. Bottlinger was only four days from his twenty-fourth birthday when he married Velma Jean Rebensdorf on Feb. 21, 1953. She became organist at the church and Mr. Bottlinger was involved in the leadership of the congregation. Over the years he was greatly involved with the youth of the congregation serving as Sunday School Teacher and for many years he served as an Elder at St. John.
The couple was blessed with four children, three sons and a daughter, who they raised in the church and to whom they taught the value of placing God first in their lives. When their twin boys were very young, Mr. Bottlinger sought to share with them some of the simple pleasures of life. Coon hunting was a favorite past time for Mr. Bottlinger and his friends. The boys remember well chasing through the woods, following the dogs until the coon was trapped in a tree.
Mr. Bottlinger and his family had many wonderful friends over the years. The families often spent time together in each other’s homes. There were many fond memories of parties and not a few practical jokes which were played on family and friends.
In January of 1989, Mr. Bottlinger married Patricia Ann (Nichols) Bottlinger and with the joining of the two families the number of children and grandchildren grew immensely. Now instead of four children, Mr. Bottlinger now had eight!
When Mr. Bottlinger suffered a stroke a few years ago, Pat was at his side to support him and help him through the struggle. In the past few years as his health challenges increased, Mr. Bottlinger made the decision to sell his cows and retire from ranching. He and his wife lived just outside of town until a few months ago when they purchased a new home in town. As life became increasingly difficult for Mr. Bottlinger, he and his wife made the decision for him to move to Hamilton Health Care where he lived his final few months.
Mr. Bottlinger was preceded in death by his parents; his three brothers, Earl, Wayne, and Dean.
Survivors include his wife Pat Bottlinger; his first wife, Jean Bottlinger; four children, Mark William Bottlinger and wife, Theresa; Clark Thomas Bottlinger and wife, Nancy; Brent Bryan Bottlinger and wife, Sarah; and Susan Kay Odom and husband, Paul; four step-children, Mark Wayne Bottlinger, Charles Kenneth Bottlinger and wife, Mischelle, Steven Lee Bottlinger and wife, Gayla and Rebecca Diane McNair; grandchildren, Breck and wife, Norma, Jay and wife Tammy, Bryan Chase, Kimberly, Kyle, Garrett, Elizabeth and husband, Joseph, Emilie, Alexander, Jordan, Katie Beth, Katie, Benjamin, Tonya, Trena, Rachel, Nicolas, Lee and Stephen; great-grandchildren, Kyleigh, Bradley, Katyln, Anna, Jacob, Ty and wife, Ursula; Keaton and Logan as well as many other family members and friends.
Pallbearers were Joseph Beber, Benjamin Bottlinger, Chase Bottlinger, Garrett Bottlinger, Jordan Bottlinger, Nicolas Bottlinger, Alexander Odom and Kyle Wasson.
Honorary pallbearers were Charles Elkins, Melvin Henkes, Gary Schoen, Travis Odom, Darman Wagner, Ollie Zschiesche, and all the men of the St. John Men’s Club.
Riley Funeral Home
Thomas Jefferson Hufstetler
Thomas Jefferson Hufstetler, 17, died April 3 at Scott and White Hospital. Memorial services were held at Lacy Funeral Home in Stephenville, Texas on Saturday April 7.
He was born in Stephenville on Sept. 12, 1989.
He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Helen and John MacKenzie
He was loved by many and will be greatly missed.
Survivors include his mother, Libby MacKenzie of Hamilton; his father, Mark Hufstetler of San Saba; a brother, Robert Hufstetler and wife Cristal and their children Haylie and Mason of Belton; sisters, Jennifer McKinnerney and husband Mike and their children Micheal and Mykah of Richland Springs; Anne Hufsteler of Dallas and Mollye Hufstetler and brother-in-law Abel Valdez and children Jarren, Hannah, Tyler, Allie and Ruthie of San Saba; his paternal grandparents Ruth Hufstetler of Arkansas and Mark T. Hufstetler of Florida as well as numerous aunts, uncles and cousins across the country.
In lieu of flowers the family requests you send donations to the Thomas Jefferson Hufstetler Memorial Fund which will be used to help families and children in need - those donations can be made at First Financial Bank in Stephenville, Texas 76401.
Lacey Funeral Home
Edna E. Kuklies
Edna E. Kuklies died March 28, 2007 in Dallas. Funeral services were held at Sparkman/Hillcrest Funeral Home Chapel in Dallas on March 31 with burial at Hillcrest Memorial Park in Dallas.
She was born June 15, 1914 in Indian Gap, the daughter of Henry and Emma Gromatsky Kuklies.
Mrs. Kuklies graduated from Priddy High School in 1930 as salutatorian of her class and in 1931 she graduated again as valedictorian.
She was a bookkeeper until her retirement in 1985 and a charter member of Christ Lutheran Church in Dallas where she was a member of Deborah Circle.
She was preceded in death by her three sisters and three brothers, Martha Hiller and Alice Schlee, both long-time residents of Priddy, Irma Hiller, Arthur Kuklies, Walter Kuklies and Otto Kuklies.
Lewis Leslie Campbell
Lewis Leslie Campbell, 86, died at Meridian Manor Nursing Home in Meridian, April 4, 2007. Funeral services were held at Baptist Church of Adamsville on April 7, 2007. Burial followed at Murphree Cemetery in Evant.
Mr. Campbell was born September 28, 1921 in Llano, the son of John I. Campbell and Ida O’Neal Campbell. He served his country in the United States Army during WWII. He was a member of the Adamsville First Baptist Church.
Mr. Campbell was preceded in death by his wife, Nona Hooker in 1997.
Survivors include his four children, Charles Campbell of Granbury, Jerry Campbell of Granbury, Dee Ellis of Evant, and Gail Brown of Phoenix, Ariz.; one sister, Selma Johanson of Llano; ten grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
Pallbearers were Wesley Campbell, Noah Campbell, Heath Campbell, Neil Ellis, Dee Ellis Jr. and Justin Cosby.
In lieu of flowers memorials can be given to the charity of your choice.
Riley Funeral Home
Mary Lucille Conely
Mary Lucille Conely died April 2, 2007 at Coryell Memorial Hospital in Gatesville. Funeral services were held March 6 at the First United Methodist Church in Evant with Reverend Cindy Dack officiating. Burial followed in the Langford Cemetery in Evant.
She was born May 1, 1911 to Albert “Yank” Arnold and Althea Sneed Arnold in Bennett Creek, Lampasas County. Mary was united in marriage to Charles Elmer Conley July 9, 1930 in Gatesville. She attended Tarleton State University.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Albert “Yank” Arnold and Aletha Sneed Arnold, Husband Charles Elmer Conley, a sister, Hazel Broyles and two great grandsons, Martin and Brian Dominquez.
Survivors include a daughter, Elaine Porter and husband Wayne of Evant; a son, Douglas Conley and wife Mary of Irving; grandchildren, Kay Thomas and Sam of Arlington, David Shaver of Fort Worth, Elizabeth and Bradley Dominquez of Fort Worth, Tina and Dane Hunt of Lewisville, Delaina McClain of Grandpraire, Brenda and Randy McCoy of Coppell and seven great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
Riley Funeral Home
Cecil “Leggs” Kirkland
Cecil “Leggs” Kirkland, 76, died April 2, 2007 at Hamilton General Hospital in Hamilton. Memorial service were held Friday, April 6, 2007 at The Barn Church with Reverend Marvin Andrews officiating.
He was born June 2, 1930 in Hico, the son of Jesse David Kirkland and Alice Green Kirkland.
Mr. Kirkland was a Veteran of Korea, serving in the Army. On July 12, 1952, he was married to Barbara Casey in Hamilton.
He is preceded in death by his parents; two sons, Leslie Harold Kirkland and Robert Glenn Kirkland.
Survivors include his wife; a son Jesse Kirkland; two grandsons, Charles Lee Kirkland and Jeremy Earl Kirkland and wife Ellie and a brother, Bobby Joe Kirkland.
Riley Funeral Home