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April 12, 1919 – April 3, 2006
Elbert “Dump” Eiland, age 86, passed away at the Taylor Care Center on Monday, April 3, 2006. He was born on April 12, 1919 to Calvin and Freda (Henke) Eiland in the Gay Hill Community. Elbert attended school at Gay Hill for the first nine years of his education. He was active in sports and played basketball under Coach Norman. In high school, he was active in FFA and graduated from Rockdale High School.
After graduation, he joined the army and served during WWII.
On June 21, 1951 he married Tennie Garringer in Houston, where he worked as a pipefitter and welder for Harrisburg Steel Company. He retired after 40 years with Harrisburg Steel and moved with his wife to the Pleasant Retreat Community south of Thorndale. He bought a farm, cleared the land, made ponds, built a barn, cross-fenced the land and planted permanent grasses.
Elbert was preceded in death by his wife, Tennie; a daughter, Tresa Swift; his parents; and sisters Thelmer Stafflebach, Margaret Lee Gifford, and Loma Marie Whiteley. He was also preceded in death by an infant brother.
Elbert is survived by his sons-in-law John Swift, Sr. and wife Aileen of Houston; grandsons John Leslie Swift, Jr. and wife Sara of San Antonio and Christopher Swift and wife Donna of Atlanta; great-grandchildren Blake and Jordyn Swift; brother Elmer Eiland and wife Olga of Ennis; and sisters Euteva Talley of Rockdale and Lois Wilkins and husband David of Gause.
A funeral service will be held on Thursday, April 6, 2006 at 2 p. m. at the Phillips and Luckey Funeral Home in Rockdale with interment in the I.O.O.F. Cemetery. The Reverend Calvin Springer will officiate. Public visitation will be held Wednesday, April 5, 2006 from 5 to 8 p.m.
November 16, 1910 – March 27, 2006
Charlie Lerche, 95, died on March 27, 2006 at the Sugarland Healthcare Center. Funeral services were conducted by Rev. Randy Bruno at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Dime Box on March 31, 2006. Burial was in the Giddings City Mausoleum.
Charlie was born to Fritz Otto and Lucy Hulda (Wolf) Lerche on November 16, 1910 in Lexington. As a young boy, Charlie lived near Lexington in a community known as Blue Branch and attended a small rural school. The family grew most of their own food and the land was farmed with a horse and plow. During this time, he and his sisters saw their first Model T Ford. He moved in 1928 to the Forester farm in Giddings with his mother and sister Anne. He married Alene Hannes in 1933. Following their marriage, they spent 8 years in Branham where he worked at Navertals repairing radios, and then worked for Brown Geo Physical repairing seismic equipment. In 1947 Alene and Charlie bought a farm in Dime Box. A son, Nolan born in 1943. While on the farm Charlie was a radio and TV repairman, farmer, rancher, dairyman and mechanic for a lot of local farmers. Due to poor health, Alene had to go to a nursing home in Giddings in 1984. Charlie drove to the nursing home every day for 13 years to help take care of her. In 2002, Charlie’s health was such that he moved in with his son and daughter-in-law in Sugarland. There he enjoyed the company of his grandson and granddaughters and great granddaughters. Charlie became bed ridden in October of 2005 and had been in a nursing home since December.
He is survived by his son, Nolan and Joyce Lerche of Stafford; 3 grandchildren, Brian Lerche of Houston, Amy and Kyle Lovetinsky of Missouri City and Karen and Michael Merritt of Sugar Land; 2 great granddaughters, Johnna and Grace Lovetinsky of Missouri City and a nephew, John and Lillie Foerster of Giddings. He was preceded in death by his wife Alene, his parents, 2 sisters, Hulda Foerster and Annie Lane and 2 nephews, Pearl Mae Jordan and Arvel Lee Foerster.
February 27, 1918 – March 31, 2006
Linna Kruemcke was born in Giddings, Texas on February 27, 1918. She died on March 31, 2006 at Oakland Manor Nursing Center in Giddings.
Linna was a resident of Giddings all of her life, graduated form Giddings High School in 1935 and was a life long member of Martin Luther Lutheran Church. She was baptized on March 30, 1918 and was confirmed March 20, 1932 by Reverend William Mueller. Reverend Mueller joined Linna and Edmund Kruemcke in marriage on October 10, 1937. Linna and Edmund had two daughters, Barbara and Margie.
During her life, Linna was a telephone operator, worked in various family businesses, owned and operated the 77 Motel and was a homemaker. She always bragged about attending the Texas A & M Cotton Grading Class after graduating from high school. She was a seamstress and made clothes for herself and her family. Her hobbies were crocheting, quilting and flower gardening. In her church, she was a member of the Ladies Aid and participated in quilt making for Lutheran World Relief. After retirement, she and her husband participated in a private dance club and attended many of their dances.
Linna was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years in 1998, her parents and a sister. She is survived by her daughters, Marge Harkrider and husband Eddie of Loebau and Barbara Crocker and husband Rex of Giddings; grandchildren Ed and Melissa Harkrider of Richmond, Marsha and Evan Gonzales of Giddings and Christi and Jim Terry of Dallas; step-grandchildren Angela and Michael Gibson of Missouri City and Andrea and Steve Zack of Austin; great grandchildren Cody, Tyler and Hailey Harkrider of Richmond, Joshua, Jessica and Jaclyn Gonzales of Giddings and Reese Terry of Dallas; step-great grandchildren Allison, Carter and Kaylee Gibson of Missouri City; brothers Edwin Artmann and wife Sylvia of Cedar Hill and Robert Artman of Lubbock. Linna’s infectious laugh and warm affectionate personality will be missed by family, friends and fellow members of Martin Luther Lutheran Church.
Memorials can be made to the Martin Luther Lutheran Day School.