Everything Nac

Hazel Marie Till Goerl, 88, passed away Sunday, March 3, 2013 in Nacogdoches, Texas. She was born in Appleby, Texas on June 24, 1924 to parents Della Russell Till and William Roscoe Till. She grew up in Appleby and graduated from Nacogdoches High School in 1940. She moved to Houston in 1946 where she met the love of her life, Edsel Allen Goerl. After Edsel began working for Dow Chemical, they married and they moved to Freeport, Texas where she was a Sunday school teacher at First Baptist for the girl’s fifth grade class for many years. Upon Ed’s retirement, they built their home back in Appleby where they lived the remainder of their lives.
After returning to Appleby, she re-joined Bethel Baptist Church and was a member of the Victory Sunday School class. When Edsel passed away in 1990, she traveled all over the United States and several other countries, with friends and travel groups. She also loved to play dominoes, especially “42”. She will be remembered for her loving, caring and sweet spirit. She was always available when asked to volunteer for church or local events.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Edsel Allen Goerl, after being married for over 35 years. Hazel leaves behind her only daughter, Cleta Goerl Brookstein and her special friend, Harold Sharp of Garrison, Texas. She also leaves behind her cousins; Yvonne Terrell and Iva Lee Hamilton, nieces and nephews and many friends.
The graveside service will take place on Wednesday, March 6, 2013 at 12:00 pm at Bethel Cemetery in Appleby with Bro. Carl Singleton officiating.
Friends are invited to a visitation on Tuesday, March 5, 2013 from 6-8 pm at Cason Monk-Metcalf Funeral Directors located at 5400 North Street in Nacogdoches.
Online condolences may be offered by visiting www.casonmonk-metcalf.com.
Hazel’s daughter would like to offer a special thanks to Martha Neal and the staff at Stallings Court for taking care of her precious mother and to Life Care Hospice for their support and care in her last few days.

Funeral services for Reese Parker Andrews, 62, will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 6, 2013, at First Baptist Church in Nacogdoches with Pastor Randy Booth of Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church officiating. Interment will follow at Fairview Cemetery, Nacogdoches, TX.

Reese passed away on Saturday, March 2, 2013, in Nacogdoches from complications associated with pancreatic cancer. In the words of almost everyone who knew Reese’s exuberance for life, “He sure crammed a lot into every day, all 62 years of his life.” Born Dec. 8, 1950, in Fort Worth, Texas, he was the son of U.S. Army Ret. Colonel Robert Parker Andrews and Selma Louise Andrews.

He spent his boyhood years traveling with his family, finally settling in Weatherford the spring of Reese’s sixth grade year. Throughout the remainder of his school years, he excelled in track, football and public speaking while developing his love and talent for playing the piano and the guitar. He graduated from Weatherford High School in 1969. He then attended Texas A&M University, where he was a proud member of the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Corps of Cadets and graduated with high honors in May 1973 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in German. He returned to Texas A&M to earn his master’s degree in English in December 1976.

Meanwhile, not content to remain still for very long, Reese was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve in 1975, stationed at various army bases including Fort Riley, Fort Sill, Fort Hood and Fort Bragg, where he was attached to the 82nd Airborne Division. Reese served in a variety of capacities during his service in the Reserve, oftentimes spending summers abroad in Europe. Perhaps his favorite assignments were the summers he spent in southern Germany, serving as a translator for the brigade commander of the First Infantry Division.

He eventually attended “jump school” and earned his wings at Fort Benning in October 1982. Upon receiving a substantial scholarship, Reese returned to school in Texas, graduating from Baylor Law School in May 1982. He began practicing law that fall and soon married the love of his life, Carolyn Louise Pennebaker, in June 1983. Carolyn earned her law degree at Baylor soon after, and in September 1992, the two of them moved to Nacogdoches, where they opened their own law firm, Andrews & Andrews.

Carolyn stopped practicing with Reese when their first child, Parker, was born. A lover of music, Reese loved the great hymns of the Christian faith and was often heard singing them along the sidewalks of downtown Nacogdoches as he walked from his office to the courthouse or the bank. He and his family were members of Grace Bible Church, where Reese served as a Sunday school teacher for the college class and the fifth and sixth grade combined class. They have been active members of Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church since August 2005.

Reese was a devoted son, a beloved husband, a faithful father and a friend to many. He is survived by his mother, Louise Andrews; his best friend and wife Carolyn; his sons, Parker and Payton; and his daughter, Annaleigh; his sisters, Bekki Andrews and Gini Andrews Chesney; his mother-in-law, Joan Pennebaker; his brother-in-law, Doug Pennebaker and wife Karrie; and nieces and nephews including Sara Clark, and Stephen, Rebecca and Hannah Chesney. He was preceded in death by his father, Col. Robert Parker Andrews.

The Andrews family is thankful for the many wonderful physicians, their staffs and the nurses who have provided excellent care and loving support for the last 20 months of Reese’s life, especially Dr. Gene Cagle, Dr. Rohan Jeyharajah, Dr. Gerard Ventura, Dr. Cengiz Satir and Tanyss Winston.

Reese will be remembered as a man who had a true passion for life, one who never knew a stranger and was never a respecter of persons. He was quick to forgive others and hoped others would quickly forgive him. He loved to travel and enjoyed every opportunity to sharpen his Spanish and German speaking skills. He was devoted to his family, and he loved the Bible and could quote dozens of passages from memory. He worked hard and played hard with his children. Reese was generous and friendly to all.

Pallbearers will be Mr. James Ward, Mr. Mike Liebrum, Mr. Michael Kunk, Mr. Fred Neale, Mr. John Fleming, Mr. Lee Hill, Dr. David Brian and Pastor Ricardo Coss.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to the Fine Arts Fund supporting music, art and drama education at Regents Academy, 200 NE Stallings Dr., Nacogdoches, Texas 75961.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 5, at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church, 340 NE Stallings Dr., Nacogdoches.

Condolences may be offered at www.casonmonk-metcalf.com.

Arrangements are under the care and direction of Cason Monk-Metcalf Funeral Directors 5400 North St. Nacogdoches, Texas.