Port O’Connor Chamber of Commerce

Where has 2021 gone? It seems like yesterday we were ringing in the New Year. The Chamber has had a very successful year and we have a few more events planned before we welcome in 2022.

November 27th we will hold our First Annual Poker Tournament from 10:00 to 3:00. Registration and your first card will be available at Josie’s Cantina starting at 10. Each hand will be $25.00 and you will draw additional cards at stops in Port O’ Connor. You can participate with any means of transportation, golf cart, bicycle, car, etc.

December 4th we will welcome numerous boats from Freeport for the Annual Toy Run. These boats will bring hundreds of Christmas toys for the kids in our community. The Service Club will unload, organize, and deliver the toys. Later that evening those boats along with others will participate in our lighted boat parade. The boats will start at the little jetties and will head down the ICW past Scurlock Street. The boat parade is open to all boats, and it is always a fun event. If you are interested in participating check out our webpage under events for registration information.

December 4th the Chamber is coordinating with 5D Steakhouse and bringing Mr. and Mrs. Santa to Market Days. The kids will love visiting with Santa so bring your camera!!

December 10th will be the Chamber Christmas Party. This is a free event, and all are invited to join us as we have a taste of Port O’ Connor. Our local restaurants and caterers will be supplying the delicious food. Loco Motion will be providing the music. The fun will start at 6:00 pm at the Community Center.

At the Christmas Party we will be voting on five positions for the Chamber Board of Directors. The winners will serve a two-year term. If you are interested in getting more involved and would like to serve on the board, nominations are open until December 1, 2021. Please send your information to info@portoconnorchamber.com.

December 15th and 16th will be the Christmas House Decorating Judging. If you would like to enter your house, RV, or business, please text, or call 361-983-2898 with your name and address. Categories awarded are Best Overall, Most Unique, Best Coastal Theme, Best Commercial, Best RV, Most Colorful, Most Decorated and Best Christmas Theme.

Please continue to visit our webpage at www.portoconnorchamber.com for more information on local events.

Alvin Lee Henderson, originally from Seadrift, passed October 13, 2021 in Lake City, Florida, where he and his wife had retired. His wife, Jeannie, preceded him in death by just a week. He was seventy-seven years old.

A fourth generation Texan whose great-grandfather John Henderson was in the Texas Revolutionary War and later became a Texas Ranger in the new Republic of Texas, Alvin Henderson honorably served his country by enlisting in the Navy and serving over twenty years.

He leaves behind two sons George Henderson (Tracie) of Corpus Christi and Jimmy Henderson (Daniela) of Newport, Oregon and his adoptive children from Maine: Deborah Talacko, Jim Alexander, Chuck Alexander, Abigail Hight, and their families.

Alvin inherited a great legacy from his father Alvin L. Henderson. His father was an outstanding member of the Seadrift community many years ago, and was an investor, developer, cotton farmer, shrimper, boat builder, and carpenter. Alvin’s mother, Ruby (Carter), pursued a career in nursing
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Alvin, also, leaves behind two brothers, Elmer DeForest (Tanya) of Seadrift, and Russell Smith of Mammoth Spring, Arkansas. He has four sisters: Virginia (Henderson) Zehr (Arlis) of Butler, Pennsylvania, and in Arkansas: Myrtle (Smith) Martin, Ruby (Smith) Johnson, and LuCindye (Smith) Anderson. He was preceded in death by a brother, Austin Smith.

Alvin leaves several grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. He will be missed by family and friends.

January 5, 1948 – November 6, 2021

The following was written by Margaret Woodle on January 29, 2021 to be read at her funeral:
I am Hazel Margaret Woodle. I have gone to be with our Lord, Al and Scott. I was born January 5, 1948 too Elvis (Slim) and Irene Mills of Carbon, TX. I attended Carbon School. Married Al Woodle, the love of my life, of Weatherford, TX, May 4, 1973. We entered marriage with my son Scott and his twins Amy and Hud. In 1977, we had our son Shane. We lived in Houston for about 30 years, then Port O’Connor. In 2002 our grandson Tye was born. Those were the most blessed and happiest 36 years of my life, watching our children growing and becoming adults, also our precious grandson that we enjoyed every minute of the times he was with us. We lost our older son Scott in 2008, then I lost Al in 2009. In 2012 I found love and happiness again with Robert Orsak of Victoria, TX, where we live today.

I will see again my parents, son Scott, Al, Allene, Nell and Wayne in heaven.

But I will have to leave behind Robert, my children Shane Woodle of Mineral Wells, TX; Amy Woodle of Weatherford, TX; Hud Woodle of Los Angeles, CA; grandson Tye Woodle of Denison, TX; sister Nancy Ogle and her family of Lewisville, TX.

I am now battling Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer that has spread to my bones, but I will not give up the fight until God calls me home.

SEADRIFT — Maria Socorro Sanchez Ovalle, 102, of Seadrift, TX, went to her heavenly home on Saturday, October 23, 2021. She was a beloved mother and grandmother, and an ever-faithful Christian woman who loved the Lord, her family, and church.

She was born October 11, 1919, in San Felipe, Guanajuato, Mexico, to the late Jesus T. and Josefa R. Sanchez. She was a devout Catholic and a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church.

She is survived by her daughters, San Juanita Benavides of Port Lavaca, Francisca Rios of Seadrift, Rosa Esquivel (Luis) of Plano, Mercedez Garza of Seadrift, Dolores Rodriguez (Joe) of Port Lavaca, Maria Socorro Rodriguez (Tony) of Port Lavaca and Rebecca Ovalle of Port Lavaca; sons, Jesus Ovalle (Herlinda) of Seadrift, Juan Manuel Ovalle of Corpus Christi, Daniel Antonio Ovalle (Mary) of Point Comfort and Jose Ramon Ovalle of Bay City. She has 45 grandchildren, 112 great grandchildren, and 113 great-great grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Fernando M. Ovalle; daughters, Elvira Carabajal and Josephina Ovalle; son, Fernando Ovalle Jr.; sister, Juanita Ayala and brothers, Salvador Sanchez and Jesus Sanchez.
A Funeral Mass was celebrated at 11am at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Seadrift. Burial followed at Seadrift Cemetery.

Pallbearers were Paul Ray Benavides, Leonardo Flores Jr., Juan Manuel Rios Jr., Jose Luis Esquivel, Pablo Garza Jr., Fernando Ray Ovalle, Jesus Ovalle Jr., Martin Estrada, Juan Manual Ovalle Jr. and Jose Ramon Ovalle III.