All Tributes

Art Smith joined the gates of heaven on December 23, 2019 at the age of 57. Art was born on October 16, 1962 in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He moved on to attend Nazareth College where he met his wife, Peggy, and later received his MBA from Simon School of Business. Art started his career at Xerox where he quickly became a branding expert and expanded his corporate executive career from Charlotte to San Francisco.  Art had the ability to light up a room and connect with those around him...

Clay Lynn West (Buzz), 84, of Baytown, Texas, died on January 6, 2020 at Memorial Hermann Medical Center in Houston, Texas. Born September 20, 1935 in Austin, Texas, to C.L. and Freda Martin West, Clay grew up in Longview, Texas. He graduated from Longview High School and furthered his education at SMU, where he was a member of the Delta Chi Fraternity and graduated with a degree in accounting. He was a partner, with his father, in the accounting firm of West and...

Olga Salowich Bennett (1925-2020) A civic activist, a humanitarian, and a global ambassador who enriched the lives of many peacefully passed away in her home on January 17, 2020.  A most remarkable woman who lived life to the fullest and on her own terms. Olga Bennett was insatiably curious throughout her life, a champion of the arts, passionate about political affairs and an incessant learner. Born June 30, 1925 in Detroit, Michigan to Nicholas Salowich and Maria Mikuliak, Olga was...

   Virginia Doris Lemen, 93, of Houston, Texas, died on January 15, 2020 at her home.  She was born on July 1, 1926 in St. Louis, Missouri to Alois Drach and Helen Barnes Herthel.  Her family attended Tyler Place Presbyterian Church.  She graduated from Roosevelt High School and from Washington University with a law degree.  She subsequently passed the Missouri Bar exam and was awarded the Doctorate of Juris Prudence.    She married Joseph James...

Michael G. Shebay, 68, passed away peacefully January 15, 2020. Born April 19, 1951, in Houston, Texas to Arielle and Andrew G. Shebay. He graduated from Strake Jesuit College Preparatory, Georgetown University, and continued postgraduate studies in Federal Taxation at the University of Houston.  The core of his high school and college Jesuit education taught him to be a Man for Others, a principle that he lived throughout his life. His Catholic education provided a solid foundation...

William “Bill” G. Woodford died January 13, 2020, at Houston Methodist Hospital, after a brief illness. Bill was born May 6, 1939, in Hereford Texas, to Lisle and Eunice (Gilbreath) Woodford.  Bill was an excellent student, was active in Scouts and worked as a disc jockey at KPAN while attending Hereford High School.  He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1961 from U.T. where he was president of his fraternity Pi Kappa Alpha.  He received his law degree from...

Louise G. Duncan 90, died peacefully at her home in Houston Saturday morning, January 11, 2020 with family at her bedside. Louise described her childhood with her parents Thomas and Frances Gelley, her sisters and brother as one that was filled with love, laughter and music. From these beginnings, Louise developed her life-long passion for music and a devotion to her faith and family. Supporting her husband Norman’s growing career with Shell Oil, they raised their seven children with...

Beverly Friend Wappler passed away peacefully on December 13, 2019 with family by her side at Houston Hospice, in Houston, Texas, after a short illness. Beverly came into this world on December 6, 1933 in Sugar Land, Texas. She was the third of four children born to the late Leo and Helen Friend. Beverly was the loving mother to her daughters; Kathi Hennesey of Katy, Kemberly Dean (Keith) of Spring, and Jill Wappler of Houston. She is survived by her only living sibling, Betty Cordes of...

Donald H. Gullquist, 76, died peacefully at home on January 8, 2020 after a courageous 19-month battle with lung cancer.  Son of the late Stanley M. and Marian K. Gullquist, he was born on September 24, 1943 in Oak Park Illinois. Don graduated from Proviso West High School in Illinois in 1961.  He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in business economics in 1966 at Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois.  His business career started at US Steel in Chicago.  He then...

Ron was born on January 7, 1934 and reborn on the same day in 2020 when he left this earth and joined his heavenly family. He was known by many names and nicknames during his lifetime- Dad, Ron, Ronnie, Podz, Rev, Reverend, Rabbi (teacher) and even Vicar. Whatever the name it was his energy, charisma, love of people and servant's heart that were always there in abundance. He was born in Henryetta, Oklahoma but moved to Shawnee, Oklahoma prior to high school. At Shawnee he lettered in...