Obituaries

On Tuesday, May 31, 2016, our dearest Brandi left us peacefully in her sleep. In her abbreviated time with us, she touched so many of us with her wonderful spirit, smile and love. 

Brandi was born April 8, 1975 in Temple and grew up in Buckholts. She graduated from C.H. Yoe High School in Cameron, and moved to San Marcos after graduation. More recently, she lived in the Dallas metroplex area and worked in the hospitality industry for over 20 years. 

Over the years, her love and passion for dogs remained constant. There were so many that touched her heart; too many to count including Chloe, Freckles, Rocky, Bunny, Millie, Dolly, Woodson, Kilo, Mateo and most of all, her beloved Bear. Brandi treated everyone’s dog as if it were her own. 

Funeral services for Mrs. June Rose Lester, 86, of Cameron, will be held Saturday, May 28, at 10 a.m. in the Kathryn W. Green Chapel of Green Patterson Funeral Home in Cameron with Rev. Drew Weber officiating. 

Graveside services will be held on Monday, May 30, at 4 p.m. in the Fall Creek Cemetery near Tonganoxie, KS. 

Mrs. Lester passed away Tuesday, May 24, 2016 at her residence. 

Mrs. Lester was born June 1, 1929 in Lawrence, KS, to Joseph Robert and Mary Elvia (Benne) Cleavinger.

She was preceded in death by her husbands, William Franklin Hulse Sr. and J. L. Lester, Jr. 

She had been a farmer/rancher since 1975, winning many ribbons for her hay. Prior to being in the agricultural business, she was the x-ray technician at Richards Memorial Hospital in Rockdale.

She was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Cameron.

Randy Gene Watkins, 68, passed away at his home in Rogers, on Friday, May 20, 2016. Graveside services will be held Monday, May 23, 2016, at 2 p.m. at the Corinth Cemetery near Buckholts.

Mr. Watkins was born Oct. 6, 1947 in Shreveport, LA to Frank Houston and Maureen (Davis) Watkins.  He was an I.T. director in the computer industry. He served his country in the United States Navy, being stationed at Pearl Harbor during the Vietnam era.

Jolie Marlene Buchanan, 64, of Cameron, passed away Monday, May 9, at her home. 

Graveside services will be held Wednesday, May 18, at 11 a.m. at the Pleasant Retreat Cemetery, Thorndale, with Rev. Billy Crow officiating. 

Mrs. Buchanan was born Jan. 6, 1952, in Brewster, WA to Robert Berlin and Nora (Campbell) Westberry. She was a long time resident of the Rogers-Cameron area. She attended a Non-Denominational Church. 

Survivors include her stepson, Eddie Buchanan of North Carolina; daughter, Shawnna Ward of Temple; brother, Robert Westberry of Buckholts; sisters, Nora Morgan of Rogers, Evelyn Taylor of North Zulch, Charlene Fisher of Republic, WA, Dorene Holmes of Covington, GA, Francine Tucker of Elgin, Tammy Greensage of Republic, WA and Carolyn Westberry of Georgia; and grandchildren, Dustin Hamilton, Jody Chance, Shawn Ward, Caleb Ward, Christian Buchanan, Lauran Villarreal and Nicholas Villarreal.

William Joseph “Bill” Stoklas, Jr., 74, of Tombstone, Ariz. and formerly of Temple and Cameron, died Thursday, May 5.

Graveside funeral services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, May 14, at St. Monica’s Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 9 until 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Marek-Burns-Laywell Funeral Home.

Bill was born Aug. 21, 1941 in Cameron to William Joseph and Stephanie Rosa Lee (Langer) Stoklas. He married Susan Dent and she preceded him in death. He retired from Sam’s in Temple.

He is survived by several cousins.

Marek-Burns-Laywell Funeral Home of Cameron is in charge of arrangements.

Betty Joe Dohnalik, 68, of Cameron and formerly of Houston, died Thursday at her residence.

Funeral services held Tuesday at Ss. Cyril & Methodius Catholic Church in Marak. Burial followed in the Ss. Cyril & Methodius Cemetery. Rosary was recited Monday at Marek-Burns-Laywell Funeral Home.

Mrs. Dohnalik was born June 20, 1947 in Houston to Rubin and Frances (Stark) Wavra. She married Louis Joseph Dohnalik and he preceded her in death in 2010. She had worked for Century Papers for many years as a secretary then in administration. She was also preceded in death by a grandson Johnathan Hubnik. 

She is survived by a son, Thomas Dohnalik of Cameron; daughters Michelle Hubnik and husband Henry of Cameron and Rebecca Dohnalik of Houston; brother, Rubin J. Wavra of Houston; sister, Frances Annie Sheeley of Mississippi; and two grandchildren Amanda and Henry Hubnik III

Marek-Burns-Laywell Funeral Home of Cameron was in charge of arrangements.

Florence Marie Boedeker, 88, of Cameron died Friday, May 6, in a Cameron nursing facility.

Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday May 11, at St. Monica’s Catholic Church with Rev. Dimitrij Colankin officiating. 

Burial will follow in the St. Monica’s Cemetery. Rosary will be recited Wednesday 10 a.m. at the church.

Miss Boedeker was born to Emil Henry and Aloisia Louise (Hosch) Boedeker. She was raised in Cameron and attended St. Monica’s Catholic Church. Later in life she went to live in the MHMR Group in Temple where she also worked until her retirement. 

She was preceded in death by her brother Edmund and sisters Alma, Gertrude, and Juanita. 

She is survived by one brother, Roland Boedeker; special niece and caretaker Kaye Taylor Kirk of Cedar Creek; and numerous other nieces and nephews

Marek-Burns-Laywell Funeral Home of Cameron is in charge of arrangements.

Estella Mae Williams Toliver Miles, 83, of Cameron, died April 22 in Cameron.

Funeral services were held Saturday, April 30, at Greater Jerusalem Baptist Church in Cameron with Rev. Rufus Glenn, pastor; Rev. Earnest Taylor, officiant; and Rev. Charles Daniels, eulogist. She was laid to rest in the Branchville Cemetery.

Estella was bon Nov. 15, 1932 to Nathaniel Williams and Cornelia Hart Beal in Robertson County, Calvert. She departed her life, April 22,2016.

Estella spent her childhood life in Calvert. She later moved to Branchville and then to Cameron, where she resided until death. 

Estella went to school in Calvert. While living in Calvert, she met and married Robert Lee Toliver in 1954. To this union, three children were born.

Carolyn Aldridge, 73, of Cameron died Tuesday, May 3, 2016 in a Cameron nursing home. 

Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Friday at Marek-Burns-Laywell Funeral Home with Rev. Glynn Cummings officiating.

Burial will follow in Oak Hill Cemetery in Cameron. Visitation will be 6-8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.

Mrs. Aldridge, a homemaker, was born Sept. 16, 1942 in Rogers to John and Albina (Gerza) Mekush. She married Bob Aldridge on December 20, 1962. She was member of Grace Church in Cameron. Her brother Gene Mekush preceded her in death. 

She is survived by her husband Bob Aldridge of Cameron; daughters Cynthia Ann Aldridge of Berwyn, Illinois, Deborah Kay Clevenger and husband Brad of Alpharetti, GA; brother Johnny Mekush of Cameron; and sister Corrine Widner of Cameron.

Marek-Burns-Laywell Funeral Home of Cameron is in charge of arrangements.

A remarkable woman

Mary Ann Perrin was born on April 8, 1921 in Cameron, Texas. Her parents were Harry Leland Green, Sr. and Vera Pearce Green. A lifelong member of the First Methodist Church in Cameron, she attended public schools in Cameron, graduating from C.H. Yoe High School in 1938.

Thereafter, she attended Texas State College for Women, now known as Texas Women’s University, in Denton, Texas.

On Dec. 1, 1940, she married Frank W. Perrin of Cameron. They had been sweethearts in high school and while Frank was attending Texas A&M, from which he graduated in May, 1940.

The newlyweds set up their household in Austin, Texas, where Frank worked for the Texas Highway Department. They came home to Cameron a few weeks later for Christmas. Anticipating a special holiday season with family and friends, they received a surprise. Frank was notified to report for active duty with the 18th Combat Engineers. He did so promptly.