The Brownsville Herald - Online Edition Obituaries, September 10, 2006 RAUL C. VILLARREAL, 86, passed away on Saturday, September 9, 2006, surrounded by his loving family. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Funeraria Del Angel Buena Vista, cemeteries, mausoleums and crema-tory, 125 McDavitt Blvd., Brownsville, Texas 78521 (956)541-5400. Dignity Memorial Provider. PHYLLIS LEE MARING LONG Phyllis Lee Maring Long, died in Dallas, Texas on September 1, 2006, after a courageous four month battle against non-smokers lung cancer. She was born February 15, 1945, in New Orleans, Louisiana to Keith Maring and Anne Salverson Maring. She moved shortly thereafter to Brownsville, Texas, where she lived until she graduated from high school and matriculated at the University of Texas in Austin. In 1966, she married Bruce W. Long of Ada, Oklahoma. After a brief residence in Austin, Texas, she and Bruce moved to New Orleans where they resided for one year. They then moved to Dallas, Texas, where she completed her college work and graduated from Southern Methodist University in 1969, with a degree in education. The Longs remained in Dallas until her death. She and Bruce had three daughters, Larisa Anne Jordan, The Woodlands, Texas, Deborah Elizabeth Clack, Dallas, Texas, and Sandra Lynn Longoria, Richardson, Texas. They were a delight to Phyllis from the day each was born. She has three grandchildren whom she loved dearly: Mallory Anne Jordan, age 6 (nearly), Jett Elliott Jordan, age 2 V2, and Riley Elizabeth Longoria, age 16 months. Phyllis studied tap and ballet in her youth, and was active in The Girl Scouts in her teen years. She invested her life in rais-ing her family, activity in church, and as an administrative assistant in the Highland Park Independent School System. Phyllis was active over her years in Dallas at Fellowship Bible Church Dallas, which she and her husband helped establish in 1977. She served in the children's ministry, as a volunteer mentor, was active in The Barnabas Project and numerous small groups, befriended many individuals, and served as a short term missionary on various occasions and with Jonl and Friends Family Camp for the past 3 years. Her special interests included cooking and otherwise caring for her family, sewing projects, time with her children and grandchildren, travel, discovering more about her Norwegian heritage, and activity in a book club with good friends. Phyllis was genuinely interested in and concerned with those with whom she came in contact. Phyllis was predeceased by her father Keith Maring and her mother Anne Salverson Maring Childers. She is survived by her loving husband of 40 years, her daughters, Larisa Anne Jordan, Deborah Elizabeth Clack, and Sandra Lynn Longoria; sons-in-law Trevor Jordan, Lance Clack, and Joshua Longoria; grandchildren Mallory Anne Jordan, Jett Elliott Jordan and Riley Elizabeth Longoria; also her siblings Marjorie Anne Mitchell, Keith Thomas Maring, and Kathy Ragna Wade and husband Timothy Wade; nephew and nieces David Mitchell, Tessa Maring, Sara Maring, Holly Wade Renshaw, Chara Wade, and Jana Wade; step sister Donna Johnson and husband Don; and mother-in- law Helen Ward Long. Phyllis Long was loved by family and friends alike. She will be missed. But she is today in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom she believed. Visitation was at Restland Funeral Home in Dallas, Monday, September 4, 2006. A Memorial Service was held at Fellowship Bible Church Dallas, 9330 N. Central Expwy. in Dallas, Tuesday, September 5, 2006. Restland Funeral Home, 972-238-7111, www.restlandfuneralhome.com EMILY JANE SMITH Emily Jane Smith, 91, of Corpus Christi, TX and former resident of Brownsville, entered into eternal rest at her residence in Cor-pus Christi on Thursday, September 7, 2006. She was born on October 31, 1914 in Joplin, Missouri. She retired from Los Fresnos State Bank in June 1979, where she was teller/assistant cashier for over 33 years. Mrs. Smith was preceded in death by her husband, Murphy Smith; two brothers, Bernard Gobar and Lawrence Gobar; and one nephew, James Gobar. She is survived by her sister-in-law, Verna Gobar of Houston, TX; eight nieces and nephews, Bob (Elsa) Gobar of Laredo, TX, Deborah (Gordon) Foerster of Corpus Christi, TX, Tony (Linda) Gobar of Garland, TX, Charles (Debra) Gobar of Santa Fe, NM, Molly (Fred) Avila of Ft. Lee, NJ, Lawrence (Jeanie) Gobar, Jr. of Richmond, TX, Kay (Charlie) Quick of Sugarland, TX, Barbara Gobar of Sugarland, TX, numerous great-nieces and nephews, and her caregiver, Darlene Starry. Recitation of the holy rosary will be at 7 p.m. Sunday, September 10, 2006 in the Darling-Mouser Funeral Home chapel, 945 Palm Blvd., Brownsville, TX. Mass of Resurrection will be celebrated at 9 a.m. Monday, September 11, 2006 at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 1914 Barnard in Brownsville, TX. Burial will follow at Buena Vista Burial Park in Brownsville, TX. The family would like to extend their heartfelt appreciation to Julie Dominguez, hospice nurse; Colleen Grotzinger and Staff at Odyssey Health in Corpus Christi, for the care they provided. Memorial donations may be made to the donor's favorite charity. Arrangements have been entrusted to Darling-Mouser Funeral Home, 945 Palm Blvd.; Brownsville, TX (956) 546-7111 JUDGE JAMES DeANDA Judge James DeAnda, age 81, died Thursday, the 7th of September 2006, at his summer home in Michigan after a courageous bat-tle with cancer. Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family on Tuesday, the 12th of September, from one until four o'clock in the afternoon in the Library of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, and, from six until eight o'clock in the evening in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons. At eight o'clock, a recital of the Rosary will begin. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at eleven o'clock in the morning on Wednesday, the 13th of September, at St. Michael Catho-lic Church, 1801 Sage Road in Houston, with the Most Rev. Joe S. Vasquez, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Galveston - Hous-ton, and the Rev. Msgr. Frank Rossi, Pastor, as concelebrants. Following the mass and military honors ceremony at the church, all are invited to join the family for a reception in the adjacent Parish Life Center. The Rite of Committal and interment will be conducted on Friday afternoon, the 15th of September, at the Martin Cemetery in Lit-tle Rock, Arkansas. In lieu of usual remembrances, contributions in memory of Judge deAnda may be directed to the Scholarship in Honor of Chief Judge James DeAnda at the South Texas College of Law, 1303 San Jacinto St., Houston, TX, 77002; or to the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, HQ Office, 634 So. Spring St., 11th Fl., Los Angeles, CA, 90014. Arrangements entrusted to Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Dr., Houston, TX, 77057, 713-789-3005. DONALD BENTSEN, SR. Donald Bentsen, Sr. of McAllen, Texas, died on September 7, 2006, from complications associated with a brain tumor and stroke. He was born at home in Mission, Texas, on March 18, 1924, to Edna Ruth Colbath and Lloyd M. Bentsen, Sr. Don grew up in the country, swimming in the canals playing alligator tag, riding his horse to school (bareback and barefoot) and training an Arabian stallion. While attending Mission High School, he raised livestock and played on the same football team as Tom Landry. He was one of 43 graduates in the Class of 1941. Don volunteered for the service and was in his second year at the University of Texas when he reported for active duty. He served his country between 1942-1946 as a fighter pilot and 1st lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He was stationed in the Aleu-tian Islands. Upon returning to the University of Texas, he was "struck by lightning" one day as he was walking down the sidewalk. It was the captivating smile of Nell McCarter from Arlington, Texas. Initially, Don had difficulty locating her again, since he went to the Tri Delt house looking for a "Nelma Carter". The two were married on September 28, 1946, and honeymooned in Cuba before returning to school in Austin. While at the University, Don was President of the Sigma Nu fraternity, a member of the Texas Cow-boy honorary organization and the Intramural Heavyweight Boxing Champion. He received a BBA in Accounting in 1948. After graduation, the couple moved to McAllen where one of Don's first jobs was managing a cooking school for veterans. In 1950, he founded Tide Products, Inc., of Edinburg, Texas. In 1954, the petroleum division, consisting of 8 service stations in 6 Valley towns, was sold to Conoco. Tide Products continued to grow as an agricultural chemical company with manufacturing and distribu-tion facilities from Georgia to Texas. As a business owner, he was innovative and progressive, providing benefits, incentives and profit sharing opportunities to his employees. Don was a man of vision, detail, goals and even invention. He held a patent on the Tide Tilt Box, a container for dispensing agricultural chemicals in the field. He continued at the helm of Tide Products until 1988 when the company was purchased by Wilbur-Ellis. In addition, Don Bentsen had his own farming business, Rio Properties, Inc., growing citrus, sugarcane, cotton, and grain. At one time, Don was the largest independent citrus grower in the Valley. He was also the owner of Southern Nurseries of Donna, which grows palms and oak trees. Upon the death of his father, Lloyd Bentsen, Sr., in 1989, Don assumed management responsibilities for his father's farm, ranch, real estate, and mineral interests. He served as the Chief Executive Officer of Arrowhead Management until his death. Don Bentsen was the Chairman of the Edinburg City Parks Board from its inception in 1953 to 1964. He was instrumental in es-tablishing the first public swimming pool and park system in Edinburg. Don was one of the founders and the sole Chairman of the Board of COSTEP, the Council for South Texas Economic Progress, since its inception in 1972. COSTEP is a private non-profit cor-poration created to foster economic progress in south Texas. Through the creation of the South Texas Higher Education Authority (STHEA) and the South Texas Higher Education Foundation (STHEF), COSTEP has provided over $2 billion in low interest loans, scholarships and financial aid to students throughout Texas. Over the years, Don Bentsen served as a member of the Boards of Directors of numerous entities, including Texas Commerce Bancshares, Inc. of Houston, the Texas Commerce Banks of McAllen and Brownsville, Union Carbide, Highway Pipeline, Rio Grande Valley Sugar Growers, Inc., Texasweet, and Texas Citrus Mutual. Don was a member and deacon of First Presbyterian Church of McAllen and a member of the American Legion and Kiwanis Club. He was a 32nd degree Mason and Shriner. Don loved the outdoors and enjoyed hunting and fishing. In 1979, he held the New Mexico state record for brook trout. He loved flying and enjoyed traveling with family and friends. He was also an avid sports fan whose loyalty to the Cowboys and Longhorns never wavered. Donald L. Bentsen was a true gentleman who was known and respected for being fair and equitable. He was a modest man who always treated others with respect and dignity. And despite the energy and time spent on his business interests and commitments, his wife and family always came first. Don Bentsen was preceded in death by his amazing wife of 56 years, Nell McCarter Bentsen; his son-in-law, Richard Garfield; and most recently his brother, Senator Lloyd Bentsen, Jr. Don is survived by his daughter, Rebecca Bentsen Phillips and husband Mel of Amarillo; his son, Don Bentsen, Jr. of McAllen; his daughter, Kathleen Bentsen Garfield of McAllen; and his daughter, Karen V. Bentsen of Houston. He is also survived by nine grandchildren: Abigail Phillips Hinga and husband Sean, Catherine Phillips, Lauren Phillips, Nathan Garfield, Amanda Garfield Lentz, Graham Garfield and wife Cristina, Garrett Garfield, Carter Bentsen and Dylan Bentsen; and three great-grandchildren: Brandon Lentz, Andrew Lentz and Emma Lentz. Don is survived by his brother, Kenneth Bentsen and wife Mary of Houston; his sister, Betty Bentsen Winn of McAllen; his sister-in-law, B.A. Bentsen of Houston; and nu-merous cousins, nieces and nephews. The family would like to thank Hermila Ovalle, "Mila", for over 40 years of loyal service and our recent caregiver, Patrick King, and numerous others for their loving and compassionate care. Visitation will be held from 12 to 8 p.m. on Sunday, September 10, 2006, at Kreidler Funeral Home in McAllen. The family will be in attendance from 4 to 6 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday, September 11, 2006, at the First Presbyterian Church of McAllen. Interment will follow at Roselawn Cemetery. Pallbearers are Don Bentsen, Jr., Mel Phillips, Nathan Garfield, Graham Garfield, Garrett Garfield and Sean Hinga. Memorials may be sent to the First Presbyterian Church of McAllen, P.O. Box 1029, McAllen, Texas 78505; Lloyd Bentsen Stroke Research Center at the University of Texas Health Science Center, 7000 Fannin St., Ste. 1200, Houston, Texas 77030; the Vannie E. Cook, Jr. Children's Cancer & Hematology Clinic, 101 Expwy 83, McAllen, Texas 78503; M D Anderson Cancer Center, P.O. Box 297153, Houston, Texas 77297; or a charity of your choice. Kreidler Funeral Home, Inc. is in charge of the arrangements. The Brownsville Herald 1135 E. Van Buren Brownsville, TX 78520 956-542-4301 1-800-488-4301 © 2006 The Brownsville Herald