1929
Mattie
2016
Mattie W. Hartzog
August 12, 1929 — December 19, 2016
Services for Mattie Wade (Rosie) Hartzog, 87, long time resident of Rio Hondo, are scheduled for Thursday, December 29, 2016, handled by Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home of Harlingen.
Rosie passed away Monday, Dec. 19, 2016, in Oklahoma City after a long battle with dementia. She was born August 12, 1929, in Jackson, Miss., to James Thomas and Cora Asha Patrick Knight. She moved to Rio Hondo with her family as a young child and, except for her time in college, early marriage and in her very last years, she was a lifelong resident of Rio Hondo. Rosie attended Rio Hondo schools, graduating in 1946, and went to Southern Illinois University, where she graduated in 1950 with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. During summers in college, she worked as a bookkeeper in a cotton gin. After graduation, Rosie taught in the Rio Hondo Independent School District for a total of 34 years, retiring in 1992. She taught kindergarten, first-grade, and 6th grade, as well as establishing Rio Hondo’s preschool migrant kindergarten program. She finished her formal teaching career as supervising teacher of the H.O.S.T.S. tutoring program.
In 1952, she married the love of her life, James T. Hartzog, in the Rio Hondo Community Church. After the wedding they moved to Tucson, Arizona, where James finished his military service. Returning to Rio Hondo, James assumed co-ownership of the family business, Hartzog Supermarket, and Rosie returned to teaching in the Rio Hondo schools.
They were very active members of the Community Church for the rest of their lives, serving on many church boards and committees. James and Rosie were married 59 years, until James’ death in 2012. “She is the greatest thing God ever game me,” James always said.
Music was the language of Rosie’s soul. This love grew from early childhood, when her mother played the piano for Rosie and her two sisters as they all sang along. In adulthood, she sang in the Community Church choir for more than 50 years. In her later years, when speech became more difficult, she still would burst out singing her favorite hymns. Music remained the voice of Rosie’s soul, and always will.
She and James were avid supporters of the Rio Hondo community, attending school sports events long into their retirement. After her formal retirement from teaching, Rosie continued her love of education and children by volunteering at the Rio Hondo Schools. She was an active member of Delta Kappa Gamma and PEO.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her three sisters, Jamie Crowe, Ellen Snyder and Sybil Knight, and son-in-law Lowell Brooks.
She is survived by her three children, Jim Hartzog and wife, Carol, of Edmond, Oklahoma; Donny Hartzog and wife, Lisa, of Snyder, Texas; and Carol Ann Brooks of Allen, Texas. James and Rosie were blessed with seven grandchildren, Amanda Whitmire and husband Adam of Burleson; Kayla Hartzog of New Braunfels; Samantha Brooks of Austin and Ethan Brooks of Allen; Elizabeth and Hannah Hartzog of Edmond, and Addie Brooks of Allen. She also had one great grand-child, Avery Jane Whitmire, born this year.
Visitation hours will be Wednesday, December 28, 2016 from 3 to 8 p.m. at Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home, 710 N Ed Carey Dr. in Harlingen. The family will be present from 5 to 7 p.m.
Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, December 29, 2016, at Mont Meta Memorial Park, followed by a Celebration of the Resurrection memorial service at 11:30 a.m. that day at Rio Hondo Community Church, 122 Miramar, with Chris Hall officiating. Pallbearers will be Henry Hartzog, Al Zapata, Mickey Reiff, Raul Robles, Ethan Brooks and Larry Bates.
The family would like to express to Rosie’s friends and former students their grateful appreciation for the love, prayers and support over the years.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the memorial fund at Rio Hondo Community Church.
Rosie passed away Monday, Dec. 19, 2016, in Oklahoma City after a long battle with dementia. She was born August 12, 1929, in Jackson, Miss., to James Thomas and Cora Asha Patrick Knight. She moved to Rio Hondo with her family as a young child and, except for her time in college, early marriage and in her very last years, she was a lifelong resident of Rio Hondo. Rosie attended Rio Hondo schools, graduating in 1946, and went to Southern Illinois University, where she graduated in 1950 with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. During summers in college, she worked as a bookkeeper in a cotton gin. After graduation, Rosie taught in the Rio Hondo Independent School District for a total of 34 years, retiring in 1992. She taught kindergarten, first-grade, and 6th grade, as well as establishing Rio Hondo’s preschool migrant kindergarten program. She finished her formal teaching career as supervising teacher of the H.O.S.T.S. tutoring program.
In 1952, she married the love of her life, James T. Hartzog, in the Rio Hondo Community Church. After the wedding they moved to Tucson, Arizona, where James finished his military service. Returning to Rio Hondo, James assumed co-ownership of the family business, Hartzog Supermarket, and Rosie returned to teaching in the Rio Hondo schools.
They were very active members of the Community Church for the rest of their lives, serving on many church boards and committees. James and Rosie were married 59 years, until James’ death in 2012. “She is the greatest thing God ever game me,” James always said.
Music was the language of Rosie’s soul. This love grew from early childhood, when her mother played the piano for Rosie and her two sisters as they all sang along. In adulthood, she sang in the Community Church choir for more than 50 years. In her later years, when speech became more difficult, she still would burst out singing her favorite hymns. Music remained the voice of Rosie’s soul, and always will.
She and James were avid supporters of the Rio Hondo community, attending school sports events long into their retirement. After her formal retirement from teaching, Rosie continued her love of education and children by volunteering at the Rio Hondo Schools. She was an active member of Delta Kappa Gamma and PEO.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her three sisters, Jamie Crowe, Ellen Snyder and Sybil Knight, and son-in-law Lowell Brooks.
She is survived by her three children, Jim Hartzog and wife, Carol, of Edmond, Oklahoma; Donny Hartzog and wife, Lisa, of Snyder, Texas; and Carol Ann Brooks of Allen, Texas. James and Rosie were blessed with seven grandchildren, Amanda Whitmire and husband Adam of Burleson; Kayla Hartzog of New Braunfels; Samantha Brooks of Austin and Ethan Brooks of Allen; Elizabeth and Hannah Hartzog of Edmond, and Addie Brooks of Allen. She also had one great grand-child, Avery Jane Whitmire, born this year.
Visitation hours will be Wednesday, December 28, 2016 from 3 to 8 p.m. at Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home, 710 N Ed Carey Dr. in Harlingen. The family will be present from 5 to 7 p.m.
Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, December 29, 2016, at Mont Meta Memorial Park, followed by a Celebration of the Resurrection memorial service at 11:30 a.m. that day at Rio Hondo Community Church, 122 Miramar, with Chris Hall officiating. Pallbearers will be Henry Hartzog, Al Zapata, Mickey Reiff, Raul Robles, Ethan Brooks and Larry Bates.
The family would like to express to Rosie’s friends and former students their grateful appreciation for the love, prayers and support over the years.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the memorial fund at Rio Hondo Community Church.
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