1936 :: Death of Walton Douthit, Jr.

Walton Emory Douthit, Jr., six-year-old son of Dr. and Mrs. W.E. Douthit of Cuero, and grandson of Mr. and Mrs. B.L. Douthit of Rockdale, died at Cuero Saturday, December 26, after an illness of about ten days. Burial was made in Rockdale Sunday morning.

Walton Emory had been sick about ten days, although his illness was not thought at first to be serious. Meningitis developed, however, and death came about three days later. He was six years and eight months old.

The body was brought to Rockdale and services held from the Phillips & Luckey funeral home at 9:30 o'clock Sunday morning, conducted by the Rev. DE. Sneller, pastor of the First Methodist church of Rockdale. Interment was in the Old City Cemetery.

Surviving are his father and mother, Dr. and Mrs. W.E. Douthit, of Cuero; and one sister, Lillian. He is also survived by his grandparents in Rockdale, Mr. and Mrs. B.L. Douthit, and a grandfather in Houston, Mr. Frank Janoch. Rockdale Reporter and Messenger, December 31, 1936

1966 :: Mrs. Alma Lewis Dies Friday at Local Hospital

Mrs. Alma Lewis, 81, daughter of one of the first early-day residents of Rockdale, died at 1:35 p.m. Friday in Richards Hospital. She had been in failing health the past three months and in the hospital four weeks.

Funeral services were held Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Phillips & Luckey Chapel with burial in Oak Lawn Cemetery. The Rev. D.D. Simpson and the Rev. Allen Cearley, Baptist ministers of Rockdale and Milano, officiated. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Rockdale.

Born in Rockdale on Feb. 9, 1885, she was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John C. Scott, both deceased. She was one of 12 children. Her father, a photographer, was a passenger on the first train that came to Rockdale when the railroad extended its line this far west. He was one of the first city councilmen in Rockdale.

She and Valdie Lewis were married here in 1902 and six children were born to them, an infant preceding her in death. Her husband died Oct. 3, 1947.

Survivors include a son, C.D. Lewis of Lufkin; four daughters, Mrs. E.A. Tucker of Houston, Mrs. V.B. Douglas of Los Angeles, Mrs. Alvie Blackmon of Milano, and Mrs. D.E. Taylor of Milano; two sisters, Mrs. Sue Hill of Longview and Mrs. Billie Neal of Longview; nine grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, and one great great grandchild.

Pallbearers were Gordon Mason, Holice Mason, Arnold Mason, Wayne Tucker, Michael Johnson, and Charlie Tucker. Rockdale Reporter and Messenger, December 08, 1966

1952 :: Death of Bud Selman

W.M. Selman, 82, former Rockdale citizen, was found dead in his bed Thursday morning at his home in Temple. Mr. Selman had suffered with a heart condition for a number of years. He moved to Temple with his son about ten years ago after the death of his wife.

The body was brought to  Rockdale and funeral services were held from the chapel to Phillips and Luckey funeral home Friday afternoon. The Rev. Hal Cunningham officiated and burial was made at Oak Lawn cemetery.

Survivors include a son William C. Selman of Temple and a grandson, Richard Glenn Selman of Denton. Rockdale Reporter and Messenger, July 17, 1952

1951 :: Death of Dr. I.P. Sessions

Dr. I.P. Sessions, 83, died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Tommy Beesley in Romayor early Saturday morning, July 14. Dr. Sessions had been visiting with his daughter for several days. He suffered a heart attack and died shortly afterwards. He had been in ill health for a number of years but had been making some progress in recent months.


He was a native of Navarro County, born at Rice, Texas, October 25, 1868 and was a member of a prominent Central Texas family. He had practiced medicine in Rockdale for the past sixty years and was a faithful servant to his profession. He was a graduate of Columbia University in New York and also attended college at Southwestern University at Georgetown. He practiced medicine in New York upon completion of his education and prior to his moving to Rockdale, practiced several years in Austin. For many years he was known as one of the outstanding surgeons in Central Texas and was active until recent years.


He was a great influence in the civic life of Rockdale and had an important part in the progress and history of that city. He devoted much of the time and effort to the welfare of that community.


Funeral services were held from the Chapel of the Philip & Luckey Funeral Home at 4 P.M. Sunday, July 15 with Rev. T. Miller Smith officiating. Burial was made in the Rockdale Cemetery with Philip & Luckey Funeral Home directing the arrangements.


Surviving are one son, C.B. Sessions of Rockdale, two daughters Mrs. Tommy Beesley of Romayor and Mrs. John Mohair of New York, New Jersey, one nephew, Dr. T.S. Barkley of Rockdale. Six grandchildren also survive and several nieces. Cameron Herald, July 19, 1951

1940 :: Death of Billy Colvin

Billy Colvin, 18 year old Freshman student at A&M College was killed at 6 p.m. Sunday on highway 79 a short distance from Gause when the car in which he was returning to college, crashed another machine. Maurice Ferrari of Rockdale, another Freshman at A&M who was returning to the college with Colvin, was critically injured and was rushed to a hospital in Hearne.


The students were riding in a car with Robert Grisom of Houston. The car was proceeding east on highway 79, and Representative Mason D. Harrell of Smithville and a companion, Mrs. Mary Helen Nash of Austin were traveling west. Shortly after the Grisom car crossed a bridge near the George Ditto home the crash occurred. According to information received by the Cameron Daily Herald, the Harrell car was being driven by Mrs. Nance. The representative had been spending the week end in Kosse with the family of Mrs. Nance. He was partially asleep but saw the Grisom car approaching and was unable to explain just how the crash occurred.


Colvin is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Will C. Colvin of Rockdale and Ferrari is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Max Ferrari of Rockdale. The driver of the car, Mr. Grisom, was only slightly injured. Mr. Colvin, father of the dead youth, is constable for Precinct 4.


Funeral services were to be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday from the funeral home of Phillips & Lucky in Rockdale. A detachment of Highway Patrolmen from Austin were in Cameron Monday and in conjunction with the office of Sheriff R.M. Kennedy, an investigation was being made. Cameron Herald, March 7, 1940

1953 :: Polio Victim Buried

Mrs. Raymond Elliott, Polio Victim, Buried. Special to The News. Rockdale, Texas. -- Funeral services for Mrs. Raymond Elliott, 26, polio victim who died in an El Paso hospital, were held from Phillips & Luckey Chapel here, with burial in Oak Lawn Cemetery. Mrs. Elliott, the former Bertha Mae Seelke of Rockdale, was stricken two weeks ago while with her husband, Staff Sergeant Elliott, who is in the Air Force at Las Cruces, N.M. Besides her husband, she is survived by two small daughters, Marsha Carroll and Patricia Lee, and her mother, Mrs. Dora Hunt Seelke of Austin. Dallas Morning News, October 21, 1953