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Marker photos courtesy of Betty Crosby |
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Bay City, as well as this entire section of the state, was shocked last night when the news of the sudden death of Hon. W. D. Wilson was sent out from his brothers’ summer home near Freeport, where he was visiting. Death came to Mr. Wilson suddenly and apparently without warning. He went over to visit with his brother only yesterday (Tuesday) morning. Mrs. Wilson and the children were in Kerrville, but left there late last night upon receipt of the sad news. Mr. Wilson’s remains arrive today on the noon train. The funeral will take place tomorrow (Thursday) afternoon at 3:30 o’clock. W. D. Wilson was one of the county’s most prominent as well as most likeable citizens. He was a long time resident of Bay City, an early settler, as it were, and a native of Brazoria County, an honored scion of a pioneer, prosperous and distinguished family. He was foremost in politics of his section and state, but was content with working for his favorite and his principles, never caring for honors of office or glories of battles. He was a lawyer of ability and possessed a rare legal mind, which was looked upon, and generally regarded, as one of the keenest and most profound. In his political affairs and in which, until very recent years he took a keen delight, he was open and frank, honest with himself and his people. There was never any doubt as to where or how he stood. Men differed with him but admired and respected him always. Mr. Wilson, in his earlier days, served Brazoria and Matagorda Counties as a member of the legislature. He was a leader in his party affairs in the county for many years and was one of the “Immortal Forty” from Texas who made Woodrow Wilson’s presidency a certainty and shaped the political life and destiny of a world renowned figure. He was also a delegate to the national democratic convention, which witnessed the memorable fight between McAdoo and Smith. At home and with home people Mr. Wilson was a most loveable man. Unassuming, plain, honest in expressions of ideas and principles and in business, truthful, frank and above reproach in character, he stood well with his people, loved, respected and honored by them. He was a member of the Episcopal Church and a Mason. Surviving are his wife and two children, Eugene and Helen, and two whom the sympathy of this entire section is extended. The Daily Tribune, July 27, 1927
The Remains of Hon. W. D. Wilson Laid to Rest Perhaps, the largest funeral ever witnessed in Bay City was held Thursday afternoon when the remains of Hon. W. D. Wilson, who passed away Tuesday at the resort home of his brother near Freeport, were laid to rest in Cedarvale Cemetery. Religious services were held at the Episcopal Church and the throng that gathered there was considerably above the capacity of the building. Every place of business in the city was closed and scores of people from neighboring counties and towns were in attendance. Hundreds of vehicles formed the procession, constituting what was said to be the longest ever seen here. The floral offerings came from many parts of the state and were as beautiful as they were profuse. Great banks of them surrounded the resting place and overflowed into adjacent ground. It all marked a wonderful tribute to the memory of a long and honored citizen. The Matagorda County Tribune, August 5, 1927 Wilson Dead W. D. (Billie) Wilson is dead. One of the best loved citizens in Matagorda County and possibly her widest known son, was he. A whole county in mourning. A nation has lost a rare citizen. Mr. Wilson, attorney, was most widely known as a member of the national democratic convention that nominated Woodrow Wilson candidate for the presidency of the United States. Other times he has served in the capacity. He was never judge. He carried to titles. He was fair, just, humble and he passes on triumphant.
Palacios Beacon,
August 5, 1927 |
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Mildred Wortham Harris Harris, Mrs. Arthur, died Wednesday morning in Houston. She was a resident of Bay City for 60 years. Funeral services will be held in St. Mark’s Episcopal Church at 3 p. m. Friday, with burial in Cedarvale Cemetery. Taylor Brothers Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. She is survived by her two children, Helen Wilson Hawkins of Bay City and Eugene J. Wilson of Houston; one sister, Mrs. A. B. Von Dohlen of Bay City; three grandchildren, Sarah Janin Zerr of Corpus Christi, Paris Eugene Smith of Amsterdam, Holland, Kayler Wortham Smith of Tulsa, Okla., and by two great grandchildren, Martin Wilson Zerr of Corpus Christi and Clark Wortham Smith of Tulsa, Okla.
Daily
Tribune,
December 4, 1968 |
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Eugene J. Wilson Funeral Tuesday
The Daily Tribune, January 24, 1972 Eugene J. Wilson Wilson, Eugene J. a former resident of Bay City passed away Sunday at his home in Brazoria, Texas. Funeral services will be held from St. Mark’s Episcopal Church at 3:00 p. m. Tuesday, January 25. Interment will be in Cedarvale Cemetery. Wilson is survived by his daughter, Mrs. Sara Janin Zerr of Corpus Christi; a sister, Mrs. Helen Wilson Hawkins of Bay City and one grandchild Martin Wilson Zerr also of Corpus Christi. Pallbearers will be E. L. McDonald, Norman Barkley Sr, John Veach, Dr. Henry E. Gaedcke, Ted G. Meuth and Wade Ashcraft. Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Charles A. Shoultz, J. C. Lewis, Frank H. Lewis, Judge G. P. Hardy, K. D. Horton, F. J. Stadter, Jim Gartrell, Roland Rugeley, Robert L. Sisk, Carey Smith, Posey McLendon, Eddie Houston, Ed Meuth, Mike Moffett, John McGlaun, Jesse B. Gilmer, Lloyd Davis, Tom Bate, Shelby Smith, Robert Young, Herbert Avants, Ben Chennault and E. R. Mosby. Taylor Brothers Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. The Daily Tribune, January 24, 1972
Jan was active as a member and past president of the Corpus Christi Junior League. Her interests included hunting and fishing with her husband. She was a lover of all animals and gave to numerous charities on their behalf. On Friday, December 23, 2011, Jan Zerr passed away at her home after a long battle with Multiple Sclerosis. Jan is survived by her husband of sixty one years, John Zerr; son Martin Zerr; family and many friends. She had a great sense of humor and will be missed by all who knew her. Funeral services for Jan will be held in the sanctuary of St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, Tuesday, December 27, 2011, at 10:00 a. m. with Rev. Sean Maloney and Rev. Pat Zerr officiating. Interment will follow at Seaside Memorial Park. Funeral arrangements are under the care of Maxwell P. Dunne Funeral Service & Crematory. Corpus Christi Caller-Times, December 25, 2011 Martin John Zerr, Jr., 83, of Corpus Christi, passed away on August 21, 2013. Known to all as "John" was born to Martin John Zerr and Marie Jordt Zerr on November 27, 1929, in Corpus Christi, Texas, where he attended Corpus Christi High School and met his future bride, Jan. He graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in Landscape Architecture. After serving four years in the US Army – rising to First Lieutenant – he returned to Corpus Christi with wife, Jan and son, Martin. After practicing landscape architecture, he went to work for Sessions Mortgage Company, which he later acquired and eventually employed over fifty people at one time. After selling this business he continued with real estate development in Corpus Christi and Portland designing numerous housing developments and later founding Coast Development, Inc. His love of fishing, hunting, sailing and art occupied his spare time. His watercolor scenes of Texas woods and wetlands were often given freely to his friends and many were sold through local galleries. As a man of sharp, dry wit and keen interest in the world around him, he loved to share many an afternoon with his P.O.E.T.S. group at the card table, where no doubt many of the world's problems were solved. He faithfully took care of his wife, Jan, through a heroic thirty year struggle with Multiple Sclerosis. She preceded him in death by twenty months. John was a kind, gentle, loving man who touched many lives and was loved by just as many. Funeral services for John will be held in the sanctuary of St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church, Saturday, August 24, 2013, at 10:00 a.m. with Rev. Sean Maloney and Rev. Dennis P. Zerr officiating. Interment will follow at Seaside Memorial Park. Funeral arrangements are under the care of Maxwell P. Dunne Funeral Service & Crematory.
Corpus Christi Caller-Times,
August 22, 2013 |
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Helen Wilson Hawkins  Helen Wilson Hawkins Funeral services for Helen Wilson Hawkins, 81, of Bay City will be held 10 a. m. Saturday at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church with the Rev. Hugh B. Jones Jr. officiating. Mrs. Hawkins was born March 7, 1911 in Bay City to the late W. D. Wilson and Mildred Wilson Harris and she died Nov. 25, 1992 at home following an extended illness. She graduated as valedictorian from Bay City High School. She attended Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, Va. and the University of Texas at Austin, where she was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. Mrs. Hawkins represented the Ninth Congressional District at the 1928 Democratic National Convention in New York City. At 17, she was the youngest delegate to participate in the convention. She was active in the motor corps unit of the Matagorda County Red Cross during the World War II and has served as a member of the Bay City Library Board and the Bay City Cemetery Association. Survivors include two sons, Paris Eugene Smith of La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain and Kayler Wortham Smith of Houston; two grandchildren, Clark Wortham Smith of Philadelphia, Pa. and Allison Lane Smith of Providence, R. I.; a niece, Sarah Janin Wilson Zerr of Corpus Christi and by her husband and devoted companion, Frank Hawkins. Pallbearers include Kayler Wortham Smith of Houston, Clark Wortham Smith of Philadelphia, Pa., Martin Wilson Zerr of Corpus Christi, Donald C. Proctor of New York City, Charles C. Collins of San Antonio and Karl X. Jamail of Houston. Honorary pallbearers are John Zerr of Corpus Christi and Cornelis Nieuwland, Alkmaar, The Netherlands. Arrangements are with Taylor Brothers Funeral Home in Bay City. Daily Tribune, November 27?, 1992
K. Wortham Smith K. Wortham Smith passed away after a long battle with pancreatic cancer on October 6th 2018. Wortham was born in Bay City, Texas on March 21, 1939. He graduated from Bay City High School and the University of the South, Sewanee, Tenn. He was a commercial real estate broker for many years in Tulsa, OK., Houston, TX. and Marshfield, MA. Wortham is preceded in death by his mother, Helen Wilson Hawkins. He is survived by his wife, Lynn Goza Smith, brother Paris Eugene Smith of Alkmaar, Holland, son Clark W. Smith of Annapolis, MD., daughter Allison Smith Estelle, husband Stephen Estelle,and their son Graham Estelle of Bozeman, MT. He also leaves his close, long-time friends Karl and Florence Jamail of Houston, and sister-in-law Nancy Goza Graham and husband John Graham of Flower Mound, TX. As per Wortham's request a private burial was held at Cedarvale Cemetery, Bay City.
Taylor Bros. Funeral
Home
Marker photo courtesy of Susie Adkins
Mr. Smith's photo courtesy of Dan Vacek
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A
former Matagorda County Attorney died Sunday in Brazoria. Eugene J.
Wilson, 62, was born in Bay City on March 14, 1909, the son of the late
W. D. Wilson and the late Mildred W. Harris and was well known in
Houston and Bay City. He was educated in the Bay City public schools,
and afterwards studied in Virginia Military Institute, the University of
Virginia and the University of Texas. He practiced law seven years in
Bay City, and for four years was County Attorney. In 1942, he was
appointed Assistant United States District Attorney. He was a Lt.
Commander in the U. S. Navy during World War II. Since 1945, he
practiced law in Houston, until he retired and moved to Brazoria County
in 1970.
Sarah
Janin Zerr, known to all as “Jan,” was born to Eugene W. Wilson and
Sarah Williams Wilson on July 18, 1930, in Bay City, Texas. She moved to
Corpus Christi, Texas where her father, a Naval officer, was active in
acquiring lands for the Corpus Christi Naval Station. Jan was a 1948
graduate of Corpus Christi High School where she met her future husband,
John Zerr. She attended the Hockaday School in Dallas, Texas, and after
graduation married John in 1950. They have one son.
