John Dee Bertling, 85, passed away on August 22, 2023 at his home in Port O’Connor, Texas.

John Dee Bertling was born on June 24, 1938 in McKinney, TX, to Rodger Dee Bertling and Frances Bertling.

John graduated from Smiley High School in Houston, Texas. After high school John joined the Air Force where he was an inflight refueler. Following his service in the Air Force, John embarked on a remarkable entrepreneurial journey that showcased his resourcefulness and determination. Starting from humble beginnings, he began by acquiring discarded junk and extracting copper out of anything from old refrigerators to alternators and starters. As his ambitions grew, John transitioned into the trucking industry hauling sand and various aggregates. This marked a pivotal step in his career, and his resilience propelled him forward. Seizing opportunities wherever they arose, he eventually entered the realm of ready-mix concrete production in Houston, Texas. Always eager to expand his horizons, John ventured into the sand business, where he demonstrated his tenacity by mining and dredging sand to meet market demands. John’s enterprising spirit knew no bounds. After establishing a successful foothold in Houston, he extended his reach to Iola, Texas, where he opened an additional concrete plant. A true visionary, he didn’t stop there; he opened two more concrete plants in Madisonville and Marquez, each a testament to his unwavering commitment and innovative thinking. Even as his professional endeavors flourished, John’s passion for work remained. He was not just a businessman but was also a cattle rancher and held the Grimes County Commissioner Precinct 1 seat from 2005-2012. In a bold move, he decided to embrace the world of hospitality and became a restaurateur, opening “The Log Cabin” restaurant adjacent to his Iola concrete plant. John was also a proud member of the FreeMasons.

When John wasn’t working, you could find him indulging in his favorite pastimes. He loved heading to Port O’ Connor, Texas where he’d spend his time fishing from his houseboat along Saluria Bayou. John also cherished his ranch in Cotulla, Texas, Lost River Ranch. A true outdoorsman, he could be found in a deer stand or out in the shop, where he skillfully worked on various projects and embraced the hands-on work that brought him joy. Another one of John’s favorite pastimes was his love of flying. He became a private pilot in the early 1970’s and continued flying for the remainder of his life.
John possessed a remarkable talent for storytelling that left an impact on everyone fortunate enough to hear his tales. His words had a unique power to captivate any room, especially as he recounted stories from his own upbringing and the humble beginnings of his business ventures. Frequently, he would jokingly remark, “If I wrote a book about my life, they would call it fiction cause no one would believe it.” Beyond his storytelling capabilities, John had a knack for humor. Whether he was sharing a joke that brought laughter to those around him or delivering a memorable one-liner that stuck in your mind, he had an uncanny ability to uplift spirits and create moments of joy. John’s words were a true reflection of his vibrant personality and will stay with us, reminding us of the special person he was.

John was blessed with 3 sons, Roger Bertling, Keith Bertling and Kevin Bertling. As a father, he found pride, happiness and fulfillment in watching them grow and succeed.

John is survived by his sons Roger (Catherine) Bertling, Keith (Bridget) Bertling, Kevin Bertling, his grandchildren Stephanie (Blaine) Brooks, Katie (Cameron) Powney, Kyle Bertling, Brice Bertling, Kenady Bertling, Zane (Briana) Vestal, Tobi Bertling, Sky Vestal Branson Bertling, his 8 great grandchildren, his sisters Gloria (David) Richardson, Arleen (Doug) Hopkins and Marilyn Vrana, and his loving partner Sharron Isbell and her family Carrie (Ryan) Borroway, Sara (Mathew & Baylie) McNeill & Cameron Robinson.

John is preceded in death by his father Rodger Bertling, his mother Frances Bertling, his brother Cecil Bertling and his sister Helen Dianne White.

The service for John Dee Bertling was held on Saturday, August 26th at Nobles Funeral Chapel in Navasota, Texas. Burial: Concord Cemetery, Iola, Texas.

PORT LAVACA — Michael J. Pfeifer passed away peacefully on August 21 at the age of 70. He is survived by his loving wife of 51 years, Lynn; their children, Sarah Brumfield (Jason), Amy Boone (Ben), Matthew Pfeifer (Mallory); seven grandchildren; and siblings, Monica Pelech, Marcus Pfeifer, and Michelle Voss. He was preceded in death by his parents, Milton and Mary Ann Pfeifer.

Mike lived a fulfilling and meaningful life as a rice farmer, cattle rancher, store owner, and in 2002, he was elected as the County Judge of Calhoun County. During his 16 years with the county, he (along with his team of dedicated commissioners and county staff) provided leadership during and after Hurricane Claudette and Hurricane Harvey, constructed and renovated key county facilities, and supported local economic development projects, including industrial expansions. He also led efforts for the county to acquire Green Lake for conservation. He was named “Man of the Year” by the Port Lavaca Chamber of Commerce in 2018.

Although he made many notable contributions to his community, he was most proud of his family. His favorite pastime was sharing a good meal and conversation with his family. Papaw Mike will be remembered for being fun, generous, and a great cook. He was a man of many interests and hobbies. From deer hunting, to nature photography, to raising and training homing pigeons, Mike Pfeifer tried it all and mastered most of it. He cherished his friendships and memories from the store, coffee shop, deer lease, livestock shows, river, and farm. He was a legend to those who were closest to him, and will be missed by so many.

A funeral service was held on Friday, August 25 at Grace, Funeral Chapel with interment following at Greenlawn Gardens Cemetery, Port Lavaca.

Pallbearers were: Matthew Pfeifer, Jason Brumfield, Clay Brumfield, Ben Boone, Beth Boone, and Justin Pfeifer.

Memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church of Seadrift, 103 West Baltimore Avenue, Seadrift, Texas 77983.
Thoughts and memories may be shared online at www.gracefuneralhome.net.

Thomas “Tommy” Doyle Skalak, Sr., age 74, of Port O’Connor, Texas passed away on September 6, 2023 at home.

Tommy was born on May 26, 1949 in Baytown, TX to the late Lloyd J. and Elizabeth Kenter Skalak. He is survived by his wife, Dorrissa; Children, Kimberly Fritz (George), Stephani Skalak-Baenziger (Mark), Douglas Skalak (Alicia), Kacie Skalak (Randy), Karie Skalak, Thomas Skalak, Jr., April Skalak, Jeramy Dunn, Heather Dunn (Jarrett); Grandchildren: Patryias, Bryce & Elliot Skalak, Kenna & Devin Rino, Kayne Carriles, Jacob & Joseph Diaz, Kaleigh Diaz Vickery, Thomas Skalak III, Ukiah & Seneca Baenziger, Bradley, Dylan & Peyton Dunn, Chelsea Therrien, Trey Goolsby and 10 great grandchildren. Tommy is preceded in death by his parents, Lloyd J. & Elizabeth Skalak,
brothers Douglas & Jimmy Skalak and grandson, Bryan Thomas Skalak.
He served two tours in the Vietnam War with the Army and once back in the states, found his love for the ocean. Tommy traveled the world as a ship captain navigating a variety of vessels across the seas. He spent hours designing and building boats privately and with manufacturers up and down the Texas Coast, including Shoalwater & Trans Sport Boats. Tommy was a craftsman builder, and not only mastered it himself but shared his knowledge & passion with his
sons and grandsons.

If you knew Tommy, you knew a friend. He never met a stranger, had a larger than life personality and was always ready for the next adventure. You would find Tommy looking for his next project, at the deer lease, fishing, or hanging out with Dorrissa on the deck listening to the Astros.

Tommy brought us together and insisted that we appreciate one another. Be patient and take it all in; He left this world infinitely better and had a love for life that was contagious.

“I’ve lived a life that’s full, I traveled each and every highway, and more, much more… I did it my way,” and yes, you did. Yours was a life well lived my dear, and man oh man, you’re gonna be missed.

Two Brothers

“Two brothers as different as different can be, sharing the same faith in the God of Eternity.”

Pictured above are Alexander and Edward Corporon who are our featured guests in the Kid’s Corner column.

Alexander is 9 and Edward is 10. Edward loves hunting and Alexander enjoys gaming. Edward’s favorite subject is Science and Alexander’s favorite is Math. Edward wants to be a bioengineer and Alexander wants to be a video game designer.

Ask them about their faith in Christ and they both have the same message that Jesus changed their lives.

Here is Edward’s story: “Because of my parent’s faithfulness to the Lord I was able to realize that Jesus is the only way to heaven. I wanted to tell other people about this amazing truth and that is what led me to the Lord and got me baptized.”

Alexander had this to say: “I was talking with my family about God and that night I couldn’t sleep because of the fact that I didn’t know where I would go when I died. And the next day I was talking to Edward about it. That night I talked to my parents about it. Two days later I committed myself to the Lord.”

Edward and Alexander are new to Seadrift. Their dad is the new pastor of Seadrift’s First Baptist Church. Their mom is Heidi. They are home schooled and are the proud owners of a dog named “Eevee.”

Alexander’s favorite Bible verse is 2 Timothy 2:15. Edward’s favorite Bible verse is Romans 8:38-39.

In one of his essays, Sir Richard Steele (1672-1729) described a day he spent with a younger child. He said, “I found upon conversation with him, though he was a little noisy in his mirth, that the child had excellent parts, and was a great master of all learning on the other side of eight years old.”

“Learning on the other side of eight” is an interesting phrase. What Steele meant would be something like this – that his young friend was skilled in the games that occupied his restless energy, eager to lead, joyous in his play, yet solemn, too, as only a child could be “flinging himself into the business of the moment, with that superior earnestness that properly belongs to play.”

When working with the Scouts or like programs, I have learned that a “man’s work is a boy’s play.” I am reminded of what the Apostle Paul said in what we call “The Love Chapter”. “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child…” with all our attempts to learn about love, please allow an examination from a child’s point of view the best I can.

We forget much of the “learning on the other side of eight”! We knew all about it once; we understood its views and sympathized with them, but somehow there is so much that we can not recall that belonged to that enchanted period.

One of the positive things I remember about life before eight was not only the certainty of the possibility of death, but that it could come to our home. At three, I remember entering into an Intensive Care Room to see Dad, who had been seriously injured in an auto accident. A lady had run a stop sign and crashed into the truck our dad was driving. He was thrown out of the vehicle and his head landed on a concrete curb. He was not expected to survive, so we three children were allowed to see him. We did not fully understand, because Mom gave birth to our brother three days later. We were shipped off to Arkansas to live with our grandparents, but we understood that life might not be the same.

Another memory was the simple love we had. I remember the many times I could be ready to beat up a classmate, but then go seek him out at the beginning of the next recess so we could play together. I believe we as adults remember too well! Some have memories that are even better than the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s. If we would love simply, we would forget most of the offenses that we have a tendency to harbor. Boyfriends’ and girlfriends’ matters were much simpler as well. I never remember a time when I “hated the girls”! I would hold hands with one girl at recess and with another one at lunch and chase another in the afternoon. In the third grade, I got into big trouble for skipping school to help a girl try to get her dog back home! The greatest problem we had was that she did not know how to get home! No one tried to pair us – no one thought they had exclusive rights to another – we just “puppy- loved” the one we wanted for that moment!

Our older son, Monty, was visiting his grandmother. before the afternoon had truly begun, Monty was in serious trouble and received his much too usual spanking from “GaGa”. Moments later, he was heard going down the hall singing, “Something Good is Going to Happen to You”. Now, this side of eight, we do not even have to be threatened with a “spanking” and our tail-feathers are ruffled for weeks, if not years! Forgiveness needs to be simplified.

Maybe it is because I was raised in Oklahoma, but don’t all of us remember becoming “blood brothers”? The ceremony was simple. We would each cut our finger and press our fingers together until the blood stopped flowing. As a result of that pact, we would be “brothers forever”! We would even allow our “brother” to pick a fight that we would gladly get involved in! We understood, as best we could, what true friendship meant, and we attempted to be “true blue”!

We learned what true sharing was all about. This was one area I failed because of a weak stomach. I remember our girls, Crystal and Vicky, sharing gum with each other or with one of their friends! I am sure I would not welcome Joane’s gum, although we have celebrated many anniversaries! “This side of eight,” most of us are pack rats. We would be greatly blessed if we were to give away half of our stuff, if we would share it with others, but instead, we stack it away in our garages and allow the car to sit out in the elements! We keep it until, in this humidity, it is totally useless. We would do well to relearn the joy of sharing!

We can hardly expect to be treated as Mozart was treated by his father, who arranged that the child should be awakened each morning by a soft strain of music. Some of us have had, and needed, a rather rough awakening in our time before we got out of the grip of the night’s sleep. But, on the whole, gentle ways of dealing with children have an effect for good that will remain through all the rest of their lives. But, “slap a kid around”, and we will find a tendency for that grown up child to continue with angry days!

Can we remember the way we were so trusting? Can we remember the defensive stance we took when our parents, family members, or friends were taunted? There are a lot of good and Godly ways that we can communicate, relate and think like children so our love will begin growing again like it did all those many years ago!