El Dorado, Kansas, resident Carol Jean McGhee Garriott passed away on July 5, 2023. She was 88 years of age.

Carol was born November 16, 1934, at 12:01 a.m. in the midst of a blizzard, at the home of her mother’s doctor in Eureka, Kansas, the 3rd daughter of Clarence and Ruth Vining McGhee.

Preceding Carol in death were her parents; infant brothers Gean Winston and Rolland Claire; sisters Melba McGhee Harlan and husband Norman; niece Vicki Harlan Mackey Christian; Gail McGhee Martin and husband Clyde; niece Shannon Martin Hyle; nephew Owen Lee Martin; ex-husband Floyd; brother-in-law John Garriott; friend of 50 years Hal Larson, and her dear friend Lon Cantrell.

Surviving family members are nieces Karen Martin Kolavalli, her daughter Chhaya Kolavalli and partner Jameson Hubbard; Virginia Martin Allain, husband Dennis; Cynthia Martin Ross, children Kristy Ross Duggan, husband Bill, children Will and Kaci; Nikki Ross Teel, husband Harley, children Justin and Alex; Susan Leigh, children Paul Calhoun, partner Jay Davis; April Wickwire, husband Kevin, children Katie and Adam; Robin Kane, children Shay and Kim; Samantha Hyle Noble; Diana Hyle Platt, husband Caleb; nephew Tim Harlan, wife Kristy, and children; nephew Bob Harlan and children; sister-in-law Sue Garriott; nephew Shawn Garriott, wife Staci, and children; niece Lisa Garriott Adams, husband Scott, and children; plus many great, great-great, and great-great-great nieces and nephews.

Best friends she couldn’t have made it without: Lola Hicks, Lilah Weber and children Alison Young and Scott Young; Carol Lee Roberts; June Cantrell and her children Marguerite, Jon, Alan, and Cristin and their families; and multitudes of other friends she cherished as well.

There will be Celebrations of Life for Carol in El Dorado, Kansas, and Seadrift, Texas. Details pending.

Please sign her online guestbook and leave a memory at www.heritageofandover.com.

CJ is remembered in Seadrift by her newsletter “Livin’ on the Bay” and her position as Seadrift Librarian.

So much has been happening this summer already at First Baptist Church… After Vacation Bible school and children’s camp at Palacios Baptist Encampment, 8 older youth went to Camp Zephyr on Lake Corpus Christi (see photo on page 12). FBC is so blessed to have as our youth and music minister, Raymond Grant and our youth director, Candice Stryker. They accompanied the youth and lead them in activities throughout the year. All year the FBC youth raised money to pay for these camps so that any child who wishes to attend may do so. Between the two camps, nearly 30 were able to attend at no cost to them. If you donated baked goods, bought baked goods or donated money, you made this possible. THANK YOU!

FBC has Sunday school classes for adults and children at 10:00 a.m. each Sunday morning. Our pastor, Richard Schaller, leads our services at 11:00 and 6:00. We have a new schedule for prayer meetings. They are now being held at 6:00 p.m. on THURSDAY, because FBC Team Kids has grown so much on Wednesday evenings. God has truly blessed this program beyond measure. FBC has long prayed for more opportunities to serve the youth in our community and those prayers have been mightily answered.

We continue to collect non perishable food items for the POC Food Pantry. The VBS youth donated nearly 100 items as they attended. You can help by donating food or money to this ongoing ministry managed by Fisherman’s Chapel. Our small community has many who are helped by your generosity and not just during the holidays. Please remember to bring food items when you attend any of our services and Bible studies.

The Samaritan’s Purse Shoe Box Ministry is another project that FBC supports. Our 2023 goal is to surpass the 200 boxes we were able to fill and send last year. The boxes are distributed all over the world and besides the items we pack, a Bible in the child’s language is included. Almost any item small enough to fit into a shoe box such a shoe box such So much has been happening this summer already at First Baptist Church… After Vacation Bible school and children’s camp at Palacios Baptist Encampment, 8 older youth went to Camp Zephyr on Lake Corpus Christi (see photo on page 12). FBC is so blessed to have as our youth and music minister, Raymond Grant and our youth director, Candice Stryker. They accompanied the youth and lead them in activities throughout the year. All year the FBC youth raised money to pay for these camps so that any child who wishes to attend may do so. Between the two camps, nearly 30 were able to attend at no cost to them. If you donated baked goods, bought baked goods or donated money, you made this possible. THANK YOU!

FBC Kids at Camp Zephyr
Candice Stryker, Grace Brown, Brooklyn Thornton, Laela Aranda, Maya Thornton, Gracie O’Shields, Brayson Thumann, Landon Jones, Jasum Ysagurrie; in back – Raymond Grant

I wish to begin this article with a great ‘THANK YOU’ to the many who stopped on the highway recently to offer your assistance to a family in our community. Richard and Alyssa, along with their two daughters, were headed toward Seadrift to help a family who is moving into our area. It was Friday morning, July 7, about 6:30 when their vehicle hit water and spun around twice before landing in the ditch going the opposite direction! No injuries and no damages were experienced. I arrived before 7:00 a,m. A County policeman was already there. We explained that we had a tractor available and would get it and pull the truck out. Before the situation had been resolved, there were more than thirty people who had stopped or called to inquire if they could help in any way! People in our community are always willing to help and the “helping hand” attitude is the one that all of us should have! Thank you to everyone who stopped their busy lives to check on those who were in need!

We were honored to perform a wedding for Bryan and Debbie toward the end of June. It was a lovely event and those attending had a wonderful time. Thanks for allowing us to be a part of your lives. We were provided with fish to glean from the Ross Tournament and have fed a number of people with the fillets. Thank you, Daryl, for cleaning the fish and several people who helped bag and freeze the catch. We have hosted a Men’s Retreat from the surrounding area with about 20 men attending. We got to host Naomi and her husband, Jordan, who are headed with the Navy to Japan in a couple of weeks. We are gleaning fish from the Lone Star Shoot-Out and appreciate the fishermen who donate their catch to help feed people in our community. Did I mention that we have been busy?

Both Pastor Joane and Erny have been called to preach for several churches in these last couple of months. We both enjoy meeting the different congregants and doing church in the mode to which they are accustomed. We are joining with the congregation of New Beginnings in Port Lavaca on Sunday, July 23 at 6:00 p.m. They are bringing Pastor/Evangelist Michael Rowan for that special service. Everyone is welcome to come and go with us.

On August 3 through August 6, we are hosting a different type of Retreat. It is being called “God’s Fish Camp Retreat.” It will feature a group of people wanting to provide a setting for veterans who are suffering with PTSD. All the details have not yet been worked out, but we are excited to reach out to our fellow veterans who are suffering because of their sacrifices for us, to keep us free! If you want to be a part of this effort, please ask!

Fisherman’s Chapel is an interdenominational congregation who began in Port O’Connor in January, 1995. We have worked hard to build a group of caring people who in turn will reach out to others to minister to the whole community. We gather each Sunday at 10:00 a.m. for Bible Study; 11:00 a.m. for Morning Service, and 6:00 p.m. for Evening Service. We also meet each Wedneday evening at 7:00 p.m. for a time of “Food Fellowship” before the Midweek Service. Everyone is welcome to attend and all are urged to, “Come, grow with us”!

The August meeting of the Calhoun County Democratic Club will be held Tuesday, August 1, 2023 at the Calhoun County Library, in the community room, 200 W Mahan St., Port Lavaca.

Social/potluck is at 5.30 p.m. and the meeting starts at 6:00 p.m.

The next meeting will be September 5th.

More info: CalhounTXDemocrats.org

Republican Club August Meeting
The Calhoun County Republican Club will be hosting Rev. Dr. J. Dustin Jenkins on Monday, August 7, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. at Drifters Hall, 5287 Fm 3084, Port Lavaca, TX 77979.
Originally from Sanger, TX, Dustin Jenkins graduated from Howard Payne University with a BA in Christian Studies, Biblical Languages. After one year at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Dustin entered the Fire Service working full-time as a Fireman and Paramedic in Cleburne, TX, where he met his wonderful wife Jamie. He completed a Master of Theology and a Doctorate of Ministry at Covington Theological Seminary as well as a Masters of Business Administration in Healthcare at CTU. Dustin is a bi-vocational pastor at Heritage Bible Church and committed to an expository style of preaching. He is also the Emergency Medical Services Director for Calhoun County, TX. Dustin and Jamie have four beautiful daughters; Samantha, Haleigh, Ashlynne, & Maycie; one son-in-law; and three wonderful granddaughters.
A catered meal is available at 5:00pm for $12 with a reservation. Please call (361) 552-6313 or email CCRCLUB@proton.me to RSVP for dinner or for more information.