Obituaries

June 7, 2020

On Sunday, June 7, 2020, Leonarda (Lola) Leija, loving mother of three children was blessed to be called to heaven.

Mom went by Lola and was born in Reagan, Texas on November 6, 1936 to Felicita Orozco . Mom’s upbringing was special and was raised in 4 states Texas, Arkansas, Missouri and Florida. Mom was blessed to...

May 31, 2020

Annette Irene Williams, 57, of McGregor, passed away on May 31, 2020 in Waco, Texas.

Visitation for family only will be held at Grace Gardens Funeral Home on June 3, 2020 from 2- 3 p.m.

Annette was born on September 8, 1962, in Waco,Tx, to Charles Randall and Jane Young. She graduated from McLennan Community...

May 30, 2020

Larry Or Slaughter, 65, of Waco, passed away Saturday, May 30, 2020.  A Graveside Service will be in Ridge Park Cemetery, Hillsboro, 11 am, Saturday, June 6, 2020.  A Wake will be from 5 – 8 pm, Friday, June 5, 2020 at Grace Gardens Funeral Home.

Larry was born October 19, 1954 to the late Charles and...

May 28, 2020

Jimmy (Jim) Dale Gammel, a longtime McGregor resident who recently moved to Valley Mills in 2019, passed away suddenly Thursday evening May 28, 2020, at the age of 71. A memorial visitation will be 1 to 4 PM Sunday May 31, 2020, in the Chapel of Grace Gardens Funeral Home, 8220 Woodway Dr., Waco, TX.

Jim was...

May 20, 2020

Harriet Cecilia Eaton, 72, of Hewitt, Texas, passed away Wednesday, May 20, 2020. A Celebration of her life will be at 2:00 PM, Sunday, May 24 at Grace Gardens Funeral Home. A visitation with family and friends will be at 1:00 PM.

Harriet was born on July 28, 1947, to Milton and Regina Parrish in Birmingham, Alabama....

May 19, 2020

Earl Lee Stabeno, 93, of Woodway, passed away Tuesday, May 19, 2020. Funeral services will be at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 23, at Grace Gardens Funeral Home, with Pastor Heath Kirkwood of First Baptist Church of Lorena officiating. Burial will follow at Oakwood Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be from 5 to 7 p.m, Friday, May 22,...

May 15, 2020

John Charles Graves of Lorena passed away at the age of 83.

“He had a servant’s heart”.  Born at home in Hubbard, Texas to James Howlett Graves and Annie Laura Moser .  He grew up in Bellmead, Texas and attended LaVega schools (grades 1-12).  At the age of 13, his first job was working as a “soda...

May 15, 2020

Wanda Jean Griffith Blackwell went to be with her savior on Friday, May 15th at 6:00 p.m. 2020, at age 91. A Funeral Service will be 1:00 pm, Thursday, May 21st at Grace Gardens Funeral Home with Dr. Grant Kaul officiating. An interment at Chapel Hill Memorial Park will follow.  A Visitation with the family will be 5-7 pm,...

May 12, 2020

Barbara June Oxner, 84, of Waco, passed away peacefully Tuesday, May 12th surrounded by her loving family.  A Celebration of her life will be at a later date.

Barbara was born to Arthur and Alice Elliott June 17, 1935 in Wichita Falls, Texas. She was a 1954 graduate from the Waco State Home.  After graduation, she went...

May 10, 2020

Bill Buck, a McGregor native and longtime business man, passed away late Sunday night, May 10, 2020, at the age of 89, after a 10-month battle with lung cancer.  A graveside memorial service and inurnment will be 10:00 A.M. Saturday May 16, 2020, at McGregor Cemetery with Jeff Straub officiating, under the direction of Grace Gardens Funeral Home, 8220...

May 8, 2020

Donald J. Bayer, 85, passed away Friday evening, May 8, 2020.  A short memorial service will be 2:00 pm Wednesday, May 13th at Grace Gardens Funeral home in Woodway Texas. In light of current times, we will be holding a Celebration of Life get together in a few months when it is safe to travel.

Don was...

May 5, 2020

Harold Dean Allison, a longtime McGregor resident, died Tuesday May 5, 2020.  A visitation will be 6 to 8 P.M. Friday May 8, 2020, at Grace Gardens Funeral Home, 8220 Woodway Dr. The Graveside services and interment will be 3:00 P.M. Saturday May 9, 2020, at McGregor Cemetery with Jimmy Hering officiating.

Dean was born January 10,...

May 4, 2020

Wesley Allan Reinke, 32, of the Waco area, passed away Monday, May 4th, 2020.  A Celebration of his life will be 11 am, Saturday, May 9, 2020 at Grace Gardens Funeral Home.  An inurnment will follow at Waco Memorial Park.

Wesley was born and raised in the Waco area.  He was a 2007 graduate of Coolidge High...

April 29, 2020

Charles E. Stroud, age 88 of Hewitt passed away Wednesday, April 29, 2020.  The family will hold a brief visitation for family and friends at 11 AM on Saturday May 2, 2020 at Grace Gardens Funeral Home, followed by a private graveside service and burial at Waco Memorial Park in Waco, Texas.

Charles Stroud was born March...

April 26, 2020

Esther Niño Contreras – October 20, 1927 – April 26, 2020

Esther was born October 20, 1927, in Caldwell, Texas, to Magdaleno and Hermelinda Nino.  She was the third born of eight daughters. Growing up, she attended Waco Schools.

On November 14, 1946, Esther married Jesse Contreras.  They remained married for 42 years until his...

April 16, 2020

Larry Ordener, 61, joined his Heavenly Father during his sleep on the morning of April 16th, 2020. A private service is being held for immediate family and a public celebration of life is pending the release of current large gathering restrictions. Larry was born on May 19th of 1958 in Wichita Falls, Tx to Bernard and Tommie Ree Ordener....

April 15, 2020

Trudie Ballard Tate, 89, of Lorena, passed away Wednesday April 15, 2020 in Waco.  Trudie was born November 22, 1930 to Gladys (Jones) and Sylvester Ballard of Prairie Hill. She married Prairie Hill High School sweetheart Dale Johnson in 1947, and they moved to Waco.  Trudie and Dale found their small dream-ranch outside Lorena where they worked to guide...

April 14, 2020

Nelda Lois Fulton, 84, of Waco, Texas; born Nelda Lois Brown in Hill county on December 3rd 1935, peacefully passed away Tuesday, April 14, 2020. She Graduated from Penelope High in 1953. Nelda spent most of her life caring for the needs of others. She enjoyed spending time with her children & grandchildren, and most recently getting to know...

April 13, 2020

William Douglas Waddill was born January 25, 1941 to H. Peyton and Mary Barnett Waddill in Dallas, Texas. Doug was the 3rd of four children, 3 boys (Ed, Doug, and Steve) and a girl (Lanelle), born to a Presbyterian minister, Peyton, who was a strong role model for him. His mother Mary was one of nine children in a...

April 11, 2020

George Edwin Giddens, 96 of Waco, passed away Saturday, April 11, 2020 at his residence of natural causes.  He will be cremated, and his ashes will be spread over the Gulf of Mexico near Pensacola, Florida as per his request.  There will be no memorial service.

George was born December 19, 1923 in Birmingham, Alabama to Margarite...