Emlyn A. “Bootsie” Gill of Seadrift, Texas passed away January 3, 2019 at the age of 85. She was born January 29, 1933 to the late Albert Harris and Eloise Ferguson in Aspermont, Texas. Emlyn was a member of First Baptist Church of Seadrift for 55 years. She was very active in the church activities, volunteered for Meals on Wheels and was a former member of the Order of Eastern Star, the Seadrift Chapter. Taking care of her family was also one of her life’s priorities. Bootsie told many tales of spending her childhood in San Antonio with her grandmother. She enjoyed her time with her cousins and her sister. Eventually she met Ted and they spent their days riding motorcycles through the streets of San Antonio.
Emlyn is survived by her husband, Theodore Gill; daughter, Rena Gill Gray and husband, Clint of Gonzales, Texas; son, James Timothy Gill and wife, Connie; grandchildren, Tanya Henson and husband, Bobby, Matthew and Jayna Gray, and great-grandchildren, Tyler and Talon Henson. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her son, Theodore Thomas Gill, and sister, Aline Eberhardt.

Funeral service was held Sunday, January 6, 2019 at the First Baptist Church in Seadrift, Texas with Reverend David Parks officiating. Burial followed at the Seadrift Cemetery.

Dearest thanks and appreciation to Doctor Tyson Myers, nurses and staff at Hospice of South Texas. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made to Hospice of South Texas, Gideons International, or First Baptist Church of Seadrift. Thoughts and memories may be shared online at www.gracefuneralhome.net

William “Bill” Albert Pyle passed away January 1, 2019 at St. Mark’s Medical Center.  He was born on October 25, 1940 to Ola Vivian May Pyle and William Alexander Pyle in Wharton, Texas.  Grandson of the late Albert J. and Mildred May.  Married to Donna Marie Oberle on November 27, 1982 they raised their blended family of four in La Grange.
From humble beginnings in Wharton, Texas growing up on a ranch to becoming an Eagle Scout, to Texas A & M University and the United States Air Force.  He was proud of his service and accomplishments.  He was active in the community being part of various organizations such as the Boys Scouts of America as an Eagle Scout, as Scout Master, Explorer Advisor and Committee Chairman for Troop 204 in La Grange.  Active in the First United Methodist Church—La Grange, Fayette County A & M Club -serving as president for 13 years, Texas State Ducks Unlimited as a District Chairman for many years, a Ducks Unlimited Life Sponsor, Ducks Unlimited Mexico Life Sponsor and member of the Ducks Unlimited Feather Society.  He was also a Colorado County Ducks Unlimited Member, Fayette County Ducks Unlimited Member, a La Grange Coastal Conservation Association Member, 12th Man Foundation, Texas A & M University Former Students Association, Life member of VFW Post #5254, Life member of the American Legion, Life member of the Air Force Association and Retired Enlisted Association, a retired member of the Austin Football Officials Association, past member of the La Grange Evening Lions and Flatonia Lions Club.
Bill’s passion was Texas A & M University.  As a member of the Class of 1962 and was often teased that he “Bled Maroon” for all Aggie Sports but especially Football and Baseball since he played baseball until an injury ended his career.  To the frustration of his family and friends, he could talk for hours about some sport.  Donna would tease him that he should have been a coach as much as he loved sports.  As an only child he received all the attention and through his adult life loved being the center of attention.  He loved watching his grandchildren play sports especially after he retired from Balcones Minerals Corporation in Flatonia, where he served as Plant Manager for 20 years retiring in 2012.
Bill coached Little League Baseball and Football while serving in the United States Air Force, as well as Jr. High Baseball and Football in Alabama.  He was very proud of the kids he coached.  His daughter Wendi could often be seen as the little cheerleader on the sidelines.  He was a Football Referee in Alabama, Florida and Texas for 25 years before retiring from refereeing in 1985.  He also umpired little league baseball.
Bill spent 25 years in the Air Force retiring from 12th Air Force Logistics at Bergstrom AFB in Austin, Texas.  He was stationed at Selma, Alabama, Fort Walton Beach Florida, Iceland, with a short tour to Italy.  He spent two tours in Thailand along the Vietnam border during the Vietnam Conflict.   Aircraft including bomber planes were launched in the fight against North Vietnam.  He spent many hours and days in Vietnam recovering damaged aircraft back to the bases in Thailand.
Bill received the following honors while serving in the United States Air Force:
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon, Army Good Conduct Medal, AF Longevity Service A award ribbon with Five Oak Leaf Clusters, National Defense Service Medal, NCO Professional Military Education Ribbon, Vietnam Service Medal with Three Oak Leaf Clusters, AF Presidential Unit Citation, AF Outstanding Unit Award with Valor and Seven Oak Leaf Clusters, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, AF Good Conduct Medal with Six Oak Leaf Clusters, Meritorious Service Medal with Three Oak Leaf Clusters.

Bill loved saltwater fishing with his wife and family always heading to Port O’Connor every weekend for years when not at a football game. He instilled the love of fishing to his grandsons, especially Kaleb.  Bill believed in conservation of our natural resources being a Major Donor to Ducks Unlimited and a member of Coastal Conservation Association.
Bill is survived by his wife of 36 years Donna Marie (Oberle) Pyle. His children James Albert Pyle and wife Carla Sanders-Pyle, Winifred Allison Pyle, William Riley Pyle and finance Rebecca Hunt Pyle and Seth Robert Pyle and wife Marsha Manly Pyle.
Grandchildren:  Justin Pyle, Reese Pyle, Jacob Simons, Nicolas England, Kaleb Pyle, Logan Land Pyle, Raygen Pyle and Lyndsey Pyle.  Step Grandchildren Jarett Burrell, Courtney Burrell and Katie Denton.
He was preceded in death by his parents Ola Vivian May Pyle and William Alexander Pyle and his best friend Mike Sharp, Sr.
In Lieu of regular remembrances memorials made be made Hospice Brazos Valley, First United Methodist Church, St. Mark’s Medical Center Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, Texas A & M University 12th Man Foundation or American Cancer Society.
A Memorial service was held at First United Methodist Church in La Grange January 5th with private burial at the La Grange City Cemetery.

Fifteen lovely ladies attended the January meeting of the “Hooked On Books” Book Club at our beautiful new Port O’ Connor Library, and everyone enjoyed the New Year’s themed decorations and refreshments.  The group held a lively discussion of January’s Book, “The All Girl Filling Station’s Last Reunion”, by Fannie Flagg, and then organized their meeting agenda and Book List for 2019.  If you are interested in joining this fun group of ladies, please contact Alane Haardt at alanehaardt@yahoo.com.  All are welcome!!

“The Way I See It” is an attempt by the columnist to enlighten readers on a subject as he views it, and does not necessarily reflect the views of this publication.

Border Wall

President Trump has addressed the Nation on the crisis on our southern border. The Democrats refuse to vote for a wall or barriers, or any meaningful control. Trump has stated that it is an emergency, a national security, citizens safety, economic, and now a humanitarian emergency; and the only timely and practical way to even start a solution is by invoking Emergency Powers to deal with the problem.

Administration figures show that 161,000 family units crossed the border in fiscal 2018, a remarkable 50 percent increase from the year before. Homeland Security officials have also said 60,000 unaccompanied children crossed the border last year, a 25 percent increase. 17,000 adults in 2018 with existing criminal records were arrested at the border, 3,755 known or suspected terrorists were prevented from traveling to or entering the U.S., and 6,000 gang members, including from MS-13, were apprehended at the border. And these are only the ones caught. The worst criminals have gangs on this side to smuggle them, and terrorists have money to hire them. Many of the young girls and women are smuggled in by cartels are forced into prostitution. Sources claim over half of these women and girls are raped by cartel “coyotes”. Govt sources claim 1/3 of all the Illegal immigrant women are raped. Also the President stated, “In the last two years, ICE officers made 266,000 arrests of aliens with criminal records – including those charged or convicted of 100,000 assaults, 30,000 sex crimes and 4,000 violent killings,” Do we really want the Dem-Socs to shut down ICE and let people like that run free?

Over 80% of the drugs smuggled into the US allegedly come over the Border, with estimates of the opioids even higher, 90%. There has been a dramatic spike in illegal drugs on the border, including a 38 percent increase in methamphetamine from fiscal 2017 to 2018, a 22 percent increase in heroin and a 73 percent increase in fentanyl. And 2017 was a record 70,237 overdose deaths, 68 percent of those deaths involved opioids. For comparison, in 2014, there were 47,055 total overdose deaths. 149% increase in 3 years. In the entire Vietnam War, there were 58,220 US servicemen killed.

In a Politico poll, 42% say the border is a crisis, 37% say it is a problem, only 12% say not either. Independents are split 37% crisis & 37% problem, with only 10% neither. Even 52% of Democrats admit it is a problem with only 21% of Dims saying not.

Democrats have been promising us good border security since 1986, in trade for the Reagan Amnesty. But they refuse to vote for it now, when there is a determination to actually DO something effective. They refuse because Trump promised it to America, and their stated goal is to Resist and Obstruct Trump. The Far Left branch of the Dem-Soc party also see “Open Borders” as an opportunity to change the Demographics of our nation; to change us into a highly Centralized Socialist State run by the leftist “Democrat” Party. There are Big Donor “Robber Barons” of both parties that want the illegal cheap labor and wage suppression of the middle-class, and cheap visas for foreign “high-tech” workers. We have 4 million Americans graduating from high schools and colleges every year that need jobs.

The Dem leadership accuse President Trump of lying and even “malice” against these Criminal Invaders, but he is only trying to do his Constitutional DUTY as President and Commander-in-Chief, and protect American Citizens. In February of last year Pelosi filibustered for 8 hours for the DACAs, but now refuses to negotiate for any deal that includes a wall or fences. Or even to listen to testimony by the experts on the scene and working to control this invasion. In problem places where walls have been erected they have been estimated at 90-95% effective, and greatly facilitate catching the ones that do make it. The Dems voted for $500 Million last year for 287 miles of wall for Jordan. Walls are not “Immoral”, and Dems supported immigration control, mainly to protect Hispanic farm workers, until the Obama Administration. A Short Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wx1Kb51kOBQ explains why.

By using Emergency Powers, President Trump can get the wall and barriers up faster, and cheaper, using the military and much of the $25 Billion can be used to hire more BP & ICE officers, equipment, and for other aids, as well as pay to deport many Illegals. The Cost is a pittance compared to the $163 Billion estimated cost of Illegal Immigrants for 2018, up from $134 Billion in 2017, and the over $275 Billion cost for all immigrants. “The Wall” is very ‘Cost Effective’. The whole immigration system must be fixed where it benefits America and our Citizens, not Radical Leftists and Robber Barons.

My neighbors Parker and Patty are always telling me how proud they are to be a part of Port O Connor, Texas. They say it is a great community and so friendly. They were celebrating the New Year with family recently when a funny thing happened. They were trying to teach the grands about superstitions and traditions, so they were planning black eyed peas for luck, cabbage and greens for extra money and pork to live high on the hog. They talked about it over dinner and asked the grands what they thought. The following morning the grands offered to make lunch with some celebration food of their own. When they presented lunch to the grown-ups, they served bats and balls consisting of meatballs and French fries for lots of sports wins, smiles made from cut up fruit for happiness and noodles for long life. While they assured their grandparents, they were not superstitious or even really believed in the food traditions, they were sure that their meal was much better than the meal their Grandy had planned. They made brownies for dessert. No reason, they just like them. Grandma said they were to make life sweeter, just like the grands did for them. Happy New Year!