Lloyd Earl “Bucky” Chatham, 78, of Seadrift passed away May 31, 2021. Memorial graveside service was held at Seadrift Cemetery on June 18, 2021. Visit www.richardsoncolonial,com for more information.

HOUSTON – Charlotte Bea Lovelace Fitgerald of Houston, Tulsa, and Port O’Connor passed away on June 29, 2021, in Victoria, TX. She was daughter of Virgil Arthur Lovelace and Troyce Beadez Oller. She graduated from Will Rogers High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1955 and attended the University of Oklahoma, where she pledged Gamma Phi Beta Sorority and graduated with a Bachelors’ degree in Music Education in 1959. She went on to teach music at Fort Sill and made the brave decision to teach overseas on the US Army base in Ingolstadt, Germany, where she met the love of her life, Phillip Riley Fitzgerald. They were married in Germany and returned to Houston, where they started their family and resided until 2017, when they retired to their family home in Port O’Connor, TX. They would have celebrated their 59th anniversary this August. She taught music for over 25 years at St. Francis Episcopal Day School. Her classes instilled a love of music for all the students. Her St. Francis family meant the world to her, and she cherished the time she spent there. She served on several boards and charities, including Mu Phi Epsilon, “Hooked on Books” POC Book Club, and Friends of the Port O’Connor Library Board, where she was instrumental in the creative direction of the Children’s Program.

Charlotte was the matriarch of her family on both sides, the thread that sewed us together. She instilled family values that included our extended families as well, creating a large network of loved ones and cherished friends, especially her “Gal Pals”. She loved all things music, was an avid supporter of the Houston Grand Opera, the Broadway Series and Houston Ballet. She enjoyed supporting and cheering on her beloved Sooner Nation and the University of Houston in all sports and activities. Boomer Sooner!

She is survived by her loving husband, Phillip R. Fitzgerald; daughters Charlotte Celia Fitzgerald McFadin and Melissa Fitzgerald Harrell and husband Brent; brother Perry Lovelace and wife Judith; grandchildren Kinzie Riley Sullivan, Phillip Hunt Harrell and Lila Kathleen Harrell, and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life was conducted on Friday, July 16, 2021, at St. Francis Episcopal Church. Additional Services in Port O’Connor and Tulsa to be held at later date.

The family would like to express our deepest appreciation and gratitude to her doctors and caregivers at DeTar Hospital System and the ICU, as well as the many friends and family for their support. A special thanks to Drs. Khan and Ramos and Erin Smith, RN, her ICU nurse.

Tax-deductible gifts in memory of Charlotte Fitzgerald may be made to the following: OU Foundation for the benefit of the Friends of Music Scholarship (33335) in the name of Charlotte Bea Lovelace Fitzgerald. Checks may be mailed to PO Box 258856 Oklahoma City, OK 73125-8856. Gifts by credit card may be made at http://www.soonerconnect.com/clf, or Port O’Connor Friends of the Library, c/o Children’s Program, P.O. Box 497, Port O’Connor, TX 77982 or online www.friendsoftheportoconnorlibrary.org. Please indicate “For Children’s Program in honor of Charlotte Fitzgerald”.

The Ladies of the POC Community Service Club have been busy moving and getting settled into our new building, which is located directly behind the Community Center Pavilion. We appreciate all who have delivered items for our October Garage Sale, and also for all who purchased items at our booth at the July Farmer’s Market!! Your generous donations and support are very much appreciated as we continue our Projects devoted to giving back to the POC Community!!

One of the Club’s most enjoyable projects is the annual awarding of scholarships to POC’s graduating Seniors who choose to pursue a higher education. This year, the Club is proud to announce that Miss Brooklyn Redman has been awarded one of those scholarships!! Miss Redman is an outstanding student and a fine young lady, and we wish her well in her future educational endeavors!!

The Club is seeking input from you, the residents of POC, for suggestions on service projects that will enhance and/or improve the POC Community. If you have suggestions for projects, you can contact individual Club Members directly, or mail your suggestions to the POC Service Club at PO Box 341, Port O’ Connor, TX 77982.

The Club continues to accept your generous garage sale donations of gently used household, decorative, and kitchen items; small appliances; clothing; shoes; toys; children’s and baby items; furniture; etc. We cannot accept computers, electronics, or mattresses. To donate items, please contact:

Alane Haardt- 281-416-6028
Nancy Ladshaw-830-832-0510
Marie Hawes- 361-920-2322

The Club’s next meeting is on Thursday, August 5, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. at the POC Community Center. We work hard, but have a lot of fun too, and welcome all service-minded ladies who are interested in joining us!!

Seventy-two Victoria College students were inducted into VC’s chapter of the National Society of Leadership and Success during the Spring 2021 semester.

Victoria College students who have earned six to 36 credit hours and have maintained at least a 2.75 GPA (grade point average) are eligible to join the NSLS. As of June 22, more than 300 VC students have joined. VC established the chapter in the fall of 2020.

Those from Port Lavaca are: •    Lisa Covarrubia, Joe Ryan Herrera, Ashley Matula, Eliah Munoz, Gracie Orta, Pierston Salinas, Verenice Vargas.

Victoria College has also recognized the outstanding academic performance of 104 students by naming them to the Spring 2021 Dean’s List.

On the Dean’s List from Port Lavaca are: Logan Bonuz, Arnold Juarez Casados, Mary Dee, Theodore Flores, Reggie Frederick, Joe Herrera, Arriana Silvas, Jax Stringham.

Congratulations, students!

Friends of POC Library New Officers- Belinda Bush (Vice President), Michelle Lippold (President), Pam Hill (Treasurer), Terri McGuire (Secretary)

The Friends of the Port O’ Connor Library held their Annual Meeting on Tuesday, June 22, 2021, in the Multimedia Room of the Port O’ Connor Library. The meeting was preceded by a Social Hour, in which delicious refreshments were served to all who attended.

Officers for their new fiscal year (which is July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022) were announced:
President- Michelle Lippold
Vice-President- Belinda Bush
Treasurer- Pam Hill
Secretary- Terri McGuire

The new Friends of the POC Library Board of Directors was also announced. The Board Members are (in addition to the Officers): Cindy Hanson, Connie Britton, Mary Ann Claiborne, Shaney Bradford, and Sherri Judice. The group also recognized, and thanked, Board Members who are leaving the Board due to Term Limitations: Charlotte Fitzgerald, Kathy Hoskins, and Laurie Junek.

After being stymied by COVID for over a year, President Michelle Lippold announced that the Friends of the POC Library are going full throttle with plans for some exciting Children and Adult Programs for the new fiscal year!! Additionally, the Friends of the POC Library are committed to providing items for use in the Library as requested by POC Librarian, Michelle Marlin. Thus far, the Friends have approved funds for the following Library items: $300 for an IPad for the grand prize winner of the Library’s Summer Reading Program; $250 for monthly Library contest drawings; $260 for security mirrors in the Kids Korner & Biography section; $2400 for Library signage and $400 for acrylic holders for the signage; $420 annually for the Library’s pest control service; and a $1200 annual stipend ($100 per month) to the POC Library for office supplies and Covid cleaning supplies.

In their recent membership letter, they eloquently stated: “The Friends of the Library consist of members who are enthusiastic library supporters who believe in the importance of libraries as the social and intellectual center of the community and understand they can extend a library’s capacity through dollar gifts, advocacy, and volunteer and program support.” In addition, the Friends of the Library are “dedicated to focusing public attention on library services, facilities, & needs; encouraging donations, gifts, endowments, & bequests to the POC Library, thereby stimulating increased public usage, especially among children in the community, and enhancements of the Library’s resources, facilities and services, and thus enriching the lives of the community of Port O’ Connor, TX. The Friends of the Library are an important part of the operation of the Library and are vital for the enhancement and support of the programs and activities conducted by the Library!!!”

If you would like more information on the “Friends of the POC Library”, have questions for us, or would like to join this wonderful group who wholeheartedly love and support the POC Library, please contact our email address at libraryfriendspoc@gmail.com or visit our website at friendsofportoconnorlibrary.org.