Henry John Hlavinka, Sr

Henry John Hlavinka, Sr. On January 29, 2015, Henry John Hlavinka, Sr., 87, of East Bernard quietly passed away at Rice Medical Center in Eagle Lake following a brief illness. He was born on May 17, 1927, in Bernard Prairie, Texas, son of the late Rehor and Vlasta Mynarik Hlavinka. Mr. Hlavinka was a lifetime resident of Wharton County having attended Bernard Prairie School and graduated from East Bernard High School in 1944. He attended one semester at Texas A&M University before joining the United States Navel Air Corps. Upon returning home from WWII, he married Margaret Surovcak on April 8, 1951, in Sealy, Texas. Henry was a cotton and rice farmer along with cattle rancher for over fifty years. Always wanting to be active in his community, he served on the board of directors of many organizations including former director of the East Bernard Farmers Co-Op, fourteen years as a committeeman on the ASCS/ FSA Board, a member of the KJT, 3rd degree Knights of Columbus and American Legion Post 226. Henry was also an avid deer hunter and relished his time with the Methodist Men’s Breakfast Club and the McDonalds Coffee Club. In addition to his parents, his sister Beata Smaistrla and his brothers Oldrich and Julius Hlavinka preceded Henry in death. Visitation was held Monday evening, February 2nd at Holy Cross Catholic Church in East Bernard with a parish rosary that followed at 7pm. Funeral services were held on Tuesday, February 3 at 10am at Holy Cross Church with Father Don Ruppert officiating. Members of the American Legion Post 226 of East Bernard proudly performed military honors. Entombment followed in the Holy Cross Mausoleum in East Bernard. Serving as pallbearers were Keven Sevuktekin, Hal Hlavinka, Jonathan Hlavinka, Robert Hlavinka, Greg Stuessel and Larry Wetz. Honorary pallbearers were members of the Methodist Men’s Breakfast Group and the McDonalds Coffee Club. Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Margaret Hlavinka of East Bernard, daughter, Peggy Sevuktekin of East Bernard, sons, Henry John Hlavinka, Jr. and wife, Rebecca of East Bernard and Jason Paul Hlavinka and wife, Linda of East Bernard, sister, Martha Ballou of Houston and brother, James R. Hlavinka and wife Birdie Jo of East Bernard and grandchildren Keven Sevuktekin of Euliss, Hal Hlavinka of Brooklyn, New York, Lindsay Hlavinka of Dallas , Megan Hlavinka of Houston and Jonathan Hlavinka of College Station. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the East Bernard EMS and Rice Medical Center in Eagle Lake. Funeral services were under the direction of the Wharton Funeral Home.