Pete Gray, Holly Strakos, Becky and Grant Gray
“Let Go and Let God” is one of Becky Gray’s favorite expressions, and it shows! Becky is one of Seadrift’s very active community members and she reflects her incredible heritage in all that she does.
Her family on both of her parent’s sides were from hard-working German and Czech immigrants who farmed and earned every bit of what they owned. They made God central to everything they did and were very active in their church.
Becky’s parents, Waldine and Clifford Masarik, were pillars at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Seadrift. They came to Seadrift in the early 50’s and instilled in each of their five children a love for service in their community and their church.
Waldine served as president of the Catholic Ladies Club and taught catechism classes for at least fifteen years. She, also, helped with fund raising, church maintenance, and the inventory of church supplies. Clifford did electrical work and carpentry for the church. Becky remembers helping with painting, playing the organ (she still does), helping with church baptisms, and (Don’t forget the fund raisers!). Becky served for eighteen years as the President of the Parish Council and loves the role of Eucharistic Minister which entails taking communion to the home-bound and the elderly.
Speaking of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, the founding of the church was in 1949. The first priest was Father Patrick Ryan. About thirty families were present when the church started and there are at least a handful of third generational families represented at St. Patrick’s today.
Becky has made a career of teaching children, having retired from teaching third and fourth grade at the Seadrift School, and currently, is starting her seventh year at OLG (Our Lady of the Gulf) Catholic School where she teaches kindergarten. She has, also, taught catechism for forty-three years at St. Patrick’s.
Becky graduated from the University of Houston in Victoria with a Bachelor of Arts degree in education in 1982. She has been married to Pete Gray for forty-two years.
Pete Gray worked as a millwright and maintenance supervisor at Seadrift Coke for thirty-seven years and is now employed by the County.
Their daughter, Holly, and husband Marty Strakos, own Coastline Boat Trailers and son, Grant, is the marketing lead for Kimberlite/Platinum Homes in Victoria.
Fr. Vinccent Verderame and Parishioners during the 1980’s
Saint Patrick’s
302 W. Cleveland Seadrift, Texas 77983
Early Beginnings: 1949
Dedication of present church: 1963
Mission of Our Lady of the Gulf, Port Lavaca
Pastoral Feast: March 17
The first celebration of Mass at Seadrift is recorded as having occurred on March 26, 1949, with Father P.J. Ryan, O.M.I., as celebrant. The event took place in a vacant store building owned by a non-Catholic.
About this time, the Catholic Ladies’ Study Club initiated a drive to procure a church building for the area. Later, in the same year a small school building was purchased and converted into the first Catholic church.
In May 1961, Father Jerome Burnet, O.M.I., purchased a larger building from Matagorda Air Base. After renovation into a new church, the structure was dedicated to St. Patrick on July 14, 1963.
The old church building was refurbished in 1966 and now serves as a hall and classroom building.
Author’s Note…
As a child, I was raised in church. I am so grateful because the parishoners were examples to me, leading me to believe that God must be very special because of people’s devotion to Him!
Tanya DeForest
