December 2021

Opal Virginia (Lilie) Kovar of Brenham and formally of Sealy passed away peacefully in Brenham on Thursday December 9th, 2021. Mrs. Kovar was born in Columbus TX to Herbert and Alice Meyer Lilie on September 17th, 1939.

We lay to rest Carmen Garcia of Wallis, TX. Carmen attended Brazos High School, played French Horn. She obtained her diploma and Certification as a Medical Assistant. She was an artist, dancer and all-around sweetheart. She will be terribly missed by all.

Bobby Allen Hagen, husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather passed away peacefully at home Friday, December 24, 2021, surrounded by his loving family. Bobby was one of five children born to Gardner and Clara Stamnitz Hagen on January 19, 1940.

Cornelis “Case (Kees)” Leenheer passed away so peacefully on Sunday, December 12, 2021, at his home in Bellville, Texas, with his wife, Carlien, and family by his side. He was born in Kisaran Sumatra, Indonesia, on October 21, 1931. He celebrated his 90th birthday this last October, which was an important milestone to Kees.

It doesn’t really take much prompting to get ol’ Windy Wilson to start holding court on all things strange … not at the Mule Barn truck stop. All it takes is someone slowing down enough to listen to our aging camp cook. Someone accidentally said the word “quail” and that was enough.

Across several U.S. states and many years, each community that I have visited or lived in has had some version of the same opening line of questions to any “new” people they meet: “Who are your people? Where are your people from?”

It’s the week after Christmas! The last of the Christmas cookies have been eaten (by mom, for breakfast because Christmas food has no calories and nothing goes better with coffee than Christmas cookies) and we’ve got about three hours before a kid complains about being bored. Every mom in America can pat herself on the back because we did it again! Santa came, the people were all fed, the decor was perfect, the wrappings and trappings all glorious, and we made it all look so easy.

Families filled the Council Chambers at the Wallis City Hall Complex last Tuesday, Dec. 21, for the eighth annual Kids, Cops, and Christmas event hosted by the Wallis Police Department. Over 20 families enjoyed complimentary food, plushes, goodie bags, and each of the 48 children received a gift from Santa himself.

The Sealy Area Historical Society hosted its Christmas tour of Old Sealy Sunday, Dec. 19. Guests were encouraged to cruise around Sealy’s historic neighborhood extending from Atchison Street to West Street and from 2nd Street to 8th Street.

Faith Academy’s 4th Grade class took a step back into history as they visited the George Ranch Historical Park Wednesday, Dec. 8.