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The people memorialized in obituaries and death noticesbelow either lived at least part of their lives in the county or are buried here. Please contact volunteer coordinator Rox Ann Johnson to contribute obituaries and/or photographs from your research.
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HARRY FRITZ ZACHARIAS
Victoria Advocate, 31 Oct 1998, page 13A
HARRY F. ZACHARIAS
SHINER - Harry Fritz Zacharias, 82, of Shiner, died Thursday, Oct. 29, 1998.
He was born May 11, 1916, in Gonzales County, to the late Paul and Minnie Holt Zacharias. He was a meat cutter for Welhausen Grocery for 20 years. He was a Lutheran.
Survivor: wife, Margaret Berkenhoff Zacharias of Shiner.
Preceded in death by: brothers, Rudy Zacharias and Elo Zacharias.
Services will be 2 p.m. Sunday at United Dr. Martin Luther Lutheran Church, the Rev. Charles Eckert officiating.
Burial will be at Shiner Cemetery. Buffington Funeral Home, Shiner, 594-3352.
Memorials: United Dr. Martin Luther Lutheran Church.
Contributed by Matt Cross
MARGARET H. BERKENHOFF ZACHARIAS
Victoria Advocate, 4 Jun 2001
MARGARET H. ZACHARIAS
SHINER—Margaret H. Zacharias, 79, of Shiner, died Saturday, June 2, 2001. She was born Oct. 15, 1921, in Moulton. She was a homemaker and a member of Sts. Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church in Shiner. Survivors: sister, Elizabeth Kalisek of Needville. Preceded in death by: husband, Harry Fritz Zacharias; parents; and brothers, John L. Berkenhoff and Raymond J. Berkenhoff. A rosary will be recited 7:30 p.m. tonight at Buffington Funeral Home chapel in Shiner. Services will be 10 a.m. Tuesday at Sts. Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church, the Rev. Gerry Cernoch officiating. Burial will be at Shiner Cemetery. Buffington Funeral Home, Shiner, 361-594-3352.
Contributed by Matt Cross
MARIE ZACHARIAS
Shiner Gazette, 29 Nov 1899, Local News column
Fritz Zacharias jr. lost his wife last Wednesday. He has the deepest sympathy of all his friends.Marie Zacharias, 31 Jan 1878 – 20 Nov 1899, was buried in the Shiner Sons of Herman Cemetery. Contributed by Matt Cross
JOHN ZANDER
Shiner Gazette, 21 Jul 1897
JOHN ZANDER.
John Zander, father of Wm. Zander, departed this life Sunday night after a short illness. He was nearly seventy-four years old and had been a resident of Texas for thirty years. His wife survives him, being seventy-five years old in October. The old couple were living with their son, Wm. Zander. The funeral took place Monday evening at the Bunyes school house cemetery.
Johann Zander, 18 Sep 1823 – 19 Jul 1897, was buried in the Bunjes Cemetery. Contributed by Matt Cross
MARIA ZANDER
Shiner Gazette, 27 Jul 1898
Mrs. Zander, the mother of our esteemed fellow citizen, Mr. Wm. Zander, died last Tuesday night at the advanced age of 77 years. Mrs. Zander came to Texas in 1867.Maria Zander, 13 Oct 1822 – 20 Jul 1898, was buried in the Bunjes Cemetery. Contributed by Matt Cross
ZARSKY
Weimar Mercury, 5 Nov 1898, page 6
Halletsville Herald: Zarsky, the man who was thrown under a cotton wagon while on his way to Hackberry a few days ago, died. He was a very large man and the heavy load passing over him crushed him frightfully. Several physicians were sumoned, but to no avail.
ANNIE ZARUBA
January 30, 1968 Hallettsville newspaper clipping
Mrs. Vinc Melnar
Mrs. Joe ZarubaJoint services for Mrs. Joe Zaruba, sr, 92 and Mrs. Vinc Melnar, 79, who were sisters, were held Monday January 29th at 1:30 pm at Kubena Funeral Home in Hallettsville, and at 2 pm at Czech Moravian Brethern Church at Vsetin, near Hallettsville.
Mrs. Zaruba died at 8 am Sunday in a Yoakum Hospital and her sister Mrs. Melnar passed away Saturday at 12:25 am in the Youens Hospital in Weimar.
The Rev. F J Kostohryz officiated and burial was in Vsetin Cemetery.
Mrs. Melnar was born October 9, 1888 in Colorado County. She was a member of the SPJST Lodge No 16 and the CMB Church at Vsetin. Her husband died in 1958.
Surviving are two daughters: Mrs. Julius (Augusta Melnar) Pustejovsky of Port Lavaca and Mrs. Victor (Christina Melnar) Dusek of Hallettsville: two sons, Victor Melnar of Hallettsville and Clifton Melnar of Weimar; one sister, Mrs. Ed (Tracy Janus) Melnar of Hallettsville; a brother Frank Janus of Hallettsville, eight grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
Mrs. Zaruba, who was born January 19, 1876, in Colorado County, is survived by a daughter, Mrs. R J Walters of Yoakum: a step-son Anton Zaruba of Hallettsville; step-daughter Miss Bessie Zaruba; a sister Mrs. Edward Melnar; a brother, Frank Janus of Hallettsville; several grandchildren and several great grandchildren.
Pallbearers for the Funeral of Mrs Vinc Melnar were her grandsons, Larry Melnar, Victor Dusek JR, Marvin and Royce Dusek, and Leroy and Jimmy Pustejovsky.
Pallbearers for the funeral of Mrs. Annie Zaruba were August, Charlie and Henry Melnar, and Robert, Joe and Frank Zaruba.
Contributed by Darlene Baker
JARO ROBERT (BOB) & EMMA SCHUMACHER ZARUBA
Hallettsville Herald, Friday, January 31, 1941
Bill Hora Farmer Shoots Wife Three Hours Later Commits Suicide
Jaro (Bob) Zaruba, 46-year-old Bila Hora farmer and garage owner, Tuesday shot and killed his thirty-five year old wife in a scuffle over possession of a shotgun. Three hrs. later when Sheriff A. P. McElroy and Dep. Theo. Long made their appearance on the farm, Zaruba went into the garage and shot himself with a 32 caliber automatic.
Zaruba and his wife have been having family trouble for some time.
Neighbors heard loud quarreling since early in the morning, but didn’t investigate until they saw Zaruba running bareheaded down the road away from the house. Arriving on the scene and finding Mrs. Zaruba mortally wounded, they phoned the Bucek & Son store, to send out a doctor. Dr. Harvey Renger was immediately notified. Cancelling all previous engagements Dr. Renger raced to the scene, but Mrs. Zaruba was beyond all medical aid.
The Fierce Struggle
The interior of the home gave mute evidence of the fierce struggle carried on there. A big console model radio which usually stood in the living room was out on the back porch, wrecked beyond repair.
“What did you shoot her with?” Zaruba was asked.
“With a shot gun,” he said. “We were fighting for possession of the gun, after she grabbed it and threatened me, when the gun went off.”
When told that he should come to town and surrender himself, Zaruba seemed willing to do so.
A Shot Was Heard.
Immediately after the doctor was notified, Sheriff McElroy and Deputy Long left the scene of the tragedy. Zaruba was standing near the house with a neighbor, Fr. Cejka, who is also the Justice of Peace, Precinct 8. When the Sheriff and the Deputy drove up. Bob Zaruba is said to have walked towards the garage, telling Cejka he wanted to close the door. Both officers seeing him walk towards the garage followed him. As Zaruba stepped into the garage and closed the door, a shot was heard. The officers as well as Doctor Renger rushed there and found him dying with a bullet hole in his forehead.
Both bodies were brought here, Mrs. Zaruba to the Kubena Funeral Home and her husband to the Gieger-Beck Mortuary, where the inquest was held by the local Justice of Peace, Oscar Shoemake.
Bob Zaruba was a veteran of the first World’s War, being a member of the local American Legion Post.
The time fixed for Mrs. Zaruba’s death was 9 o’clock and that of her husband at 12:15 Tuesday morning.
At Close Range.
Zaruba’s version of the killing seemed plausible, the wound indicating that it was made at very close range, as the left side of her face was badly powder burned and the course of the shot was upward. The dead man and his wife were making their home on the farm of her mother, known as the Schumacher farm.
AMERICAN LEGION PAYS TRIBUTE
Funeral services for Bob Zaruba were held under the auspices of the American Legion. The cortege left the Gieger-Beck Funeral Parlor at 10:00 a.m. Thursday. The body was laid to rest in the City Cemetery, with Rev. L. A. McDaniel performing the last rites.
Born in Czechoslovakia March 24, 1895, Bob came to this country with his parents who settled near Sublime, making this his home except for the time when he served in the army of his new adopted country. He leaves to mourn his passing two brothers, Joe of Sublime and Anton of here, who is associated in the automobile business; two sisters Miss Bessie of Sublime and Miss Vlasta of Houston; and his step-mother Mrs. Annie Zaruba. R.I.P.
Pallbearers for Bob Zaruba’s funeral were Charles Holly, Adolf Melner, Fred Cejka, Charlie Galetka, O. J. Woytek and A. H. Kersch.
BURIED IN GEIGER CEMETERY
The cortege of Mrs. Robert Zaruba (nee Emma Schumacher) left the Kubena Funeral Home at 1:00 p.m. in interment in the Geiger Cemetery with Rev. Zimmerman of the Lutheran church officiating.
Mrs. Zaruba was born at Sublime in 1906. January 24, 1929 she was married to Robert Zaruba, living in the Sublime community all her life. She is survived by her mother, Mrs. Annie Schumacher, one brother Eddie Schumacher, and two sisters Mrs. Ernest Tesch and Mrs. Willie Tesch. R.I.P.
Transcribed by Sandra Long Anders
MILDRED NOVAK ZARUBA
Victoria Advocate, 10 Jun 2001
MILDRED N. ZARUBA
SHINER—Mildred Novak Zaruba, 75, of Shiner, died Friday, June 8, 2001. She was born Feb. 8, 1926, in Shiner, to the late Frank J. and Annie Hajek Novak. She was a member of KJZT, Altar Society and Catholic Daughters. She was a homemaker. Survivors: son, Paul Novak of Nashville, Tenn.; sisters, Adel Henkhaus and Emma Westphal, both of Shiner, and Edity Studeny of Humble; and brother, George A. Novak of Houston. A rosary will be recited 7:30 p.m. tonight at Buffington Funeral Home chapel in Shiner. A KJZT, Catholic Daughters and Altar Society rosary will be recited 10:30 a.m. Monday at Sts. Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church. Services will be 11 a.m. Monday at the church, the Rev. Gerry Cernoch officiating. Burial will be at Shiner Catholic Cemetery. Buffington Funeral Home, Shiner, 361-594-3352.
Contributed by Matt Cross
MRS. ZEDLER
Weimar Mercury
September 16, 1893, page 2.San Antonio Express Specials: Yoakum, Tex., Sept. 10—Mrs. Zedler, an aged lady, died here at an early hour this morning. She leaves a great many children and grandchildren here. She will be buried in the West Hillside cemetery this evening.
Transcribed by Sharon Sutton
EARL JOSEPH ZELLER
March 21, 2005 newspaper clipping
PORT LAVACA - Earl Joseph Zeller, 96, of Port Lavaca died Saturday, March 19, 2005. He was born in New Orleans on August 10, 1908, to Joseph A. Zeller and Isabelle Barbara Whitmer Zeller. Visitation: 6 to 8pm Monday at Richardson-Colonial Funeral Home, Port Lavaca, with funeral services at 10:00am Tuesday at Christ Community Church, 1101 Calhoun Street, Port Lavaca with Rev. Dean Holford officiating, and burial at 3pm in City Cemetery, Hallettsville. Pallbearers will be all of Earl's grandsons and Butch Marshall. He is preceded in death by his first wife, Sybil Roden Zeller and brothers, Joseph R. Zeller and George Zeller and sister, Pearl Wilson. Survivors include his wife of 20 years, Myrtle Zeller of Port Lavaca, sons, Earl Roden Zeller and wife Karen of Cut-N-Shoot, Ty Zeller and wife Lynette of Port Lavaca, nine grandchildren: Castle Towery and husband Shane, Earl Ryan Zeller, Summer Edwards, Stormy Mitchell and husband Todd, Kelsey Zeller, Joshua Zeller and fiancée Sarah Hester, Benjamin Zeller, Lacie Zeller, Aaron Zeller.
He is also survived by three great-grand children, Peyton and Cayden Towery, and Sky Edwards.
Earl played baseball in Louisiana for a minor league team, the New Orleans Pelicans, and was an avid baseball fan all his life. He was a police officer in New Orleans before joining the US Marine Corps for four years, whereupon he transferred to the US Navy where he was a special investigator for twelve years for the Central Intelligence Division under Admiral "Bull" Halsey during World War II. After moving to Houston he was a private investigator, owning his own private investigation business. He then went to work for Sears and Roebuck Co. as head of Security for 20 years until retirement. After retirement Earl moved to the Victoria/Port Lavaca area were he worked at the Port Lavaca Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce for several years. He was a member of Christ Community Church. Grandad was known for his wit and sense of humor, always making others laugh, but mostly he was know as a man of faith who loved his family and his Lord, Jesus Christ above all else. He will be greatly missed. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Calhoun County Senior Citizens Association, 234 E. Main, Port Lavaca, Texas 77979
Contributed by Nena Smothers
EMIL EDDIE ZIMMERMANN
The Lavaca County Tribune-Herald, December 8, 1992, Page 2
Emil Zimmermann
Emil Eddie Zimmermann, 87, of Moulton died Friday, Dec. 4, 1992.
He was born Feb. 24, 1905, in Moulton, son of Ernest and Minnie Kuehn Zimmermann and was a self-employed farmer and a road construction worker employed by Lavaca County. He married Erna Pilsner Zimmermann in 1922 and was a member of Zion Lutheran Church of Moulton.
Survivors include a daughter, Gladys Meyer of Cuero; a son, Harry Zimmermann of Yoakum; brother, Bill Zimmermann of Moulton; seven grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, on Feb. 10, 1987; his parents, Ernest and Minnie Zimmermann; four sisters, Minnie Lockstedt, Tillie Lockstedt, Lillian Moeller and Annie Stock; five brothers, Henry Zimmermann, Charlie Zimmermann, Ernest Zimmermann, August Zimmermann and Otto Zimmermann; and a granddaughter, Shirley Alex.
Services were conducted at 10 a.m., Monday, Dec. 7 at Smith Funeral Home, Moulton. The Rev. Clarence Hagens officiated.
Burial followed in the Moulton City Cemetery, under the direction of Smith Funeral Home, Moulton.
Pallbearers were: Harry Zimmermann Jr., Robert Zimmermann, Donald Zimmermann, Richard Zimmermann, Mark Zimmermann and Kim Kelley.
Transcribed by Sandra Long Anders
EMIL ZIMMERMANN
The Lavaca County Tribune, Friday, June 10, 1960
Death Claims Shiner Man
A native of Shiner and a farmer all his life, E. Zimmermann, 71, passed away at the home of his daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Winkenwerder, Shiner, Rt. 2, Tuesday, May 31. His funeral was held Thursday June 2, the Rev. Edwin J. Oehlke officiating.
Besides his daughter and son-in-law and their family, surviving are also two brothers, Willie of Shiner, Henry of San Antonio; three sisters, Mrs. Christian (Alma) Tuch of New Braunfels, Mrs. Fritz (Annie) Tieken of Floresville, Mrs. Ernest (Lena) Thiede of Cost.
Submitted by Sandra Long Anders
FRIEDA BRUNKENHOEFER ZIMMERMANN
The Lavaca County Tribune, Friday, August 21, 1959
Mrs. Zimmermann Passes Away
Sunday, Mrs. Emil (Frieda) Zimmermann, 65, of Shiner passed away in the Wagner Hospital. Her funeral followed Tuesday the Rev. Edwin J. Oehlke officiating. She has been in ill health for years.
The deceased was a native of Weimar, nee Frieda Brunkenhoefer. In 1905 the family moved to Wied in Lavaca Co. Six years later they settled in the Menger School community. There she was married to Emil Zimmermann.
Surviving besides her husband, is only her one daughter, Mrs. Dietrich Brunkenhoefer of Moulton, 3 brothers – Herman Brunkenhoefer of Yoakum, Adolph of Shiner and Walter, Moulton; 2 sisters – Mrs. Fritz (Erna) Meinke, Yoakum and Mrs. Otto (Ella) Gerloff, Moulton.
Submitted by Sandra Long Anders. Submitter’s Note: Mrs. Dietrich Brunkenhoefer was Frieda’s mother, not her daughter. Her daughter was Mrs. Edna Winkenwerder.
ELEANOR A. ZUMWALT
Halletsville Herald, 14 Jan 1892
Mrs. E. A. Zumwalt died at the residence of Mrs. P. C. Allen in this city on Friday evening, January 8, and the remains were followed to their [last] resting place in the city cemetery on Saturday afternoon. A large number of friends paid a tribute to her memory by attending the funeral service. Mrs. Zumwalt had attained the venerable age of 78 years. The condolence of the entire community is with the surviving relatives in their affliction.
Eleanor Zumwalt, 8 Jul 1813-8 Jan 1892, wife of Gabriel Zumwalt, is buried in the Hallettsville City Cemetery.
NANCY COCHRAN ZUMWALT
Colorado Citizen, May 6, 1886, page 2
IN MEMORIAM.
[Hallettsville Herald and Planter.]
At about the hour of midnight on last Thursday night, the soul of Nancy Zumwalt was summoned to the mansion of Bliss Eternal. After long and patient suffering, tired nature sank to sleep and rest, to awake in a fairer, purer, better home, where sin and sorrow never come.
Deceased had reached the venerable, patriarchal age of 81 years and about three months. She came to Texas from Missouri, in 1836, and lost her husband the following year. She has resided since then in this county—was among the first settlers. Few could recount the vicissitudes of the pioneer days. No one can imagine what a widow with three small children had to endure. Her two sons and daughter, were then beginning to assume the responsibilities of life, exhibiting a degree of training and culture worthy of the thoughtful mother, especially when we consider the disadvantages they labored under, the county being at that time a wilderness. One son with his wife, whose orphan children are a credit to our town, preceded her to the Better Land. Miss Cora, now of Edna, took sole charge of her younger sister from childhood, trained and educated her. The surviving son is a respected citizen of Colorado county. Her daughter, Mrs. DeBord, and granddaughter Ada, are of our town. Their attachment and devotion to her is beyond our power [to] describe. It was apparent to all who watched by the dying bed of dear Aunt Nancy, that she passed triumphantly through the dark valley of the shadow of death, leaning on the arm of her beloved, into the rest prepared for the people of God. Only those who have experienced the pain, can tell how great the trial, when, as in this instance, the Angel of the House has departed, leaving a vacant place none can fill. She has gone, but left a spotless character behind her. She wore a smile of angelic sweetness, a mirror of her pure and pious spirit. Aunt Nancy was never heard to utter an unkind word about anyone. Her cheerful welcome was the same for all. The aged mother is now at peace and she will be waiting for you at the gates of the Celestial city. May we all endeavor to imitate the virtues of this sweet, pious sister, so that when the Master shall summon us, we shall be ready to pass over the River and join the loved ones "who have washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb" and are in glory. To sum up her many qualities would be a task we dare not undertake; suffice it to say, that she died as she had lived, an exemplary Christian, full of faith and hope, beloved by all. A large concourse of relatives and friends attended the funeral services at the M. E. Church, and escorted her remains to the city cemetery,* where she was laid away to rest. We tender our sincere and heartfelt sympathy to the surviving children and grand-children.
*The city cemetery at the time of Nancy Zumwalt's death is now known as the Hallettsville Memorial Garden, but there is no marker for her there. She was married to Noah Zumwalt.
WILLIE LEE ZUMWALT
Weimar Mercury
June 17, 1893, page 2Sunday Mr. R. D. Zumwalt took his 3-year-old son to San Antonio for treatment. The little fellow is in a precarious condition, suffering from an affliction of the stomach.
Later.—The child died and the remains were brought home yesterday evening and buried at 5 o'clock. The bereaved parents have our sympathy.
Willie Lee Zumwalt, 2 Apr 1890-12 Jan 1893, is buried in the Hallettsville Ctiy Cemetery. Obituary transcribed by Sharon Sutton.
There are over 4,000 obituaries of Central Texans with Czech roots at Steve Alvarez's TXBHS web site. These include many people from Lavaca County and some with German surnames.
